Visit to the Pig AI Centre at Albion

The final Year students of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius with the Chinese Technical Team (Mr Huanf, (left) and Mr Wey (right) and Mr Orlando Felicite, Scientific Officer ( centre)

On Monday 26 Oct 2015, Mr K.Boodhoo and Mr Abhishek Soomaroo of the Faculty of Agriculture accompanied the final year students of the BSc (Hons) AgricScience and Tech (with minor Agribusiness) for a visit at Belle Vue Experiment Station, Albion of the Animal Production Division (APD), Ministry of AgroIndustry and Food Security. We were guided by Mr Orlando Felicite, Scientific Officer at the APD. The students were given a clear and up to date demonstration of the collection and processing of boar semen by the Chinese Agricultural Technical Team (CATT), namely Mr Huang and Mr Wey. Diluted semen are now used by some pig farmers (e.g., Mr Thomas from Calebasses came to collect semen to inseminate sows that were seen in heat yesterday) to inseminate their sows themselves. Both Chinese technicians were keen to answer the students question that range from the feeding of the boar, frequency of semen collection, training young boars for mounting the dummy, technique for collection of semen, to the dilution process among others. 

Several projects and activities such as production of ducklings for sale to breeders, research and training on artificial insemination of pig, hydroponics of vegetables and production of vegetable seeds, are currently being undertaken at the station. Currently, they have startyed to develop AI for goats as well.

The CATT is here in Mauritius for more than four decades and this has been possible due to the China and Mauritius co-operation programme.  The past projects included rice production, mushroom production, fruits and vegetables research and training. They have also collaborated in agro processing and composting technology.