Rwanda is setting up a national artificial insemination (AI) centre expected to help increase the country's cattle production in terms of milk and beef yields.

The AI Centre is being constructed at Rwanda Agricultural and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB)'s Songa station in Huye District, Southern Province. 

It will be a recognised center at International level, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources. The Ministry indicated it is expected that its first phase will be completed by the end of this year (2022) at a cost of Rwf1.5 billion. 

The Ministry said it will produce bovine semen from high genetic merit bulls of different breeds which will be used to support the Government of Rwanda's breed improvement programme. 

Solange Uwituze, Deputy Director General in charge of Animal Resources Research and Technology Transfer at RAB told The New Times that the AI centre will also help to produce and conserve embryos and provide embryo transfer services [for cattle production].

The center, she said, will have two main components – management of high genetic merit bulls and a laboratory for production, processing, packaging and storage of semen.

"The rationale for establishment of the AI center is to produce quality and genetically superior germplasm and to ensure its fast dissemination, faster bovine genetic improvement and conservation in Rwanda," she said.

Germplasm is the genetic makeup of a species used for breeding or conservation purposes.

Regarding its impact on the Rwandan livestock sector, Uwituze said, the center will bring a biodiversity of genes and different types of cattle breeds; availability of semen for dairy cattle and beef as well.

According to information from RAB, it has the capacity to accommodate 60 bulls, while 30 bulls can give around 16,000 semen straws per week [enough to artificially inseminate 16,000 cows].

It will support partnership and exchange with other international AI centers in terms of research. Also, it will help the creation of private breeder associations (for each breed) and exchange of superior genetics. 

There has been the issue of low conception rate in artificially inseminated cattle, which has been a concern for livestock breeders. 

Meanwhile, a September 2019 study titled Adoption of Artificial Insemination and Success Rate in Dairy Cattle in Rwanda revealed that the conception rate of heifers in 12 districts of Rwanda increased from 53.2 percent in 2017 to 71.4 percent in 2018, while that of cows decreased from 79.7 percent in 2017 to 78.4 percent in 2018.

The study was led by RAB in collaboration with the Rwanda dairy development project (RDDP).

Uwituze said that the low conception rate is due to different factors, pointing out that nutrition, metabolic diseases, reproduction health, heat detection, insemination practices by the inseminator and climate could influence the success rate of artificial insemination. 

"In a farm with good practices in management of cows, the success rate can be maximum. Efforts are being put in the whole value chain to improve the success of AI," she said.

She said that the quantity of milk produced in Rwanda in the fiscal year 2020-2021 was 891,326 tonnes, whereas the target was over 1 million tonnes under the National Strategy for Transformation (NST1) by 2024.

Rwanda’s cattle population is estimated at 1.3 million, of which 41 percent are local breeds, 16 percent pure exotic breeds and 43 percent crossbreeds as of 2019, according to data from RAB. Meanwhile, Uwituze said that the cattle registration being done countrywide will give the actual figure.

Artificial insemination is credited for genetic improvement in cattle, which results in increased productivity both in milk and meat. And, genetic improvement has proven to be beneficial in terms of milk production. Uwituze said that an improved lactating cow produces, on average, 7.5 litres of milk per day, while a local cow produces an average of 1.5 litres of milk per day.