BAS urges farmers to register Blackbelly sheep

The Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) is encouraging farmers to register their Blackbelly sheep.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BAS James Paul said while the registration process has started, farmers need to take it more seriously to prevent the negative impact of inbreeding and to strengthen record-keeping among farmers.

He said the move would also allow authorities to engage in appropriate planning to improve the quality of the desirable breed which originated in the island.

“We really don’t know how many Blackbelly sheep we have on the island. We don’t even know what the growth rates are. The only way we can improve the growth rates is if farmers keep copious records. We know that if we can improve the breeding practices that we have, we will actually improve the attractiveness of the breed. And, of course, generally, Barbados Blackbelly sheep are a very viable commodity on the market.

“It is one of the few sheep breeds in the world that you can get more than one offspring, and that is very good for the animal. It is these kinds of traits in the animal that we are trying to preserve while trying to maintain the attractiveness at the same time,” Paul told Barbados TODAY.

He explained that the number of Blackbelly sheep on the island was unknown primarily because an agriculture census had not been conducted in Barbados in more than 20 years.

Such a census shows the agricultural capacity on the island and indicates what needs to be done to improve the industry.

“In terms of future plans for the sector, you need to know basically what really is there, so that any plans that you make for the sector going forward would be actually based on the resources that you have available to you at the moment. But unless you have that census, you will not know how many resources you have available,” he said.

“The current initiative that we are focusing on is in relation to the Barbados Blackbelly sheep, and one of the other things that we will be doing is we will be focusing on the animals that show basically the characteristics of the breed, and we want to encourage farmers that show the best characteristics.”

Paul said one of the plans was to specially register those animals that show the best characteristics.

“This in itself helps the farmers, because once [it is] proven the animals show the best characteristics of the breed, the farmer is able to, for instance, claim a better price for the animal in case it has to be sold,” the BAS chief explained.

Paul said registration of the Blackbelly sheep and other related topics would be discussed when the BAS meet with the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep and Goat Farmers Inc. on Saturday.

He also disclosed that as the BAS prepares for its Annual General Assembly in October, it will also be meeting with poultry farmers on Wednesday. (AH)