In the face of critical shortages of livestock feeds in Tobago, Dr Michele Singh, Director of the Center for Agricultural Research and Innovation at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill, Barbados, is calling for the cultivation of local feedstuff for domestic livestock rearing.
Dr Singh’s call comes as the livestock industry faces a decline.
Speaking to Guardian Media, Dr Singh warned that without alternative feed solutions, families could grapple with food shortages in the future.
She said the global supply chain disruptions have exposed the vulnerability of small nations like T&T to feed shortages.
Highlighting the repercussions of these shortages on farmers and overall productivity, Singh said: “Farmers have been forced to reduce livestock populations and switch to different feeding strategies which impact overall productivity.”
She added: ” Because the T&T livestock sector is primarily dependent on imported feeds, I believe we will face growing challenges in feeding small ruminants, large ruminants, poultry, and pigs. One recommendation is to start utilizing alternative feedstocks and invest in the development of local alternatives to reduce the demand for imported feeds.”
She noted that basic animal feed consists of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, with protein being the costliest component.
However, she said local forages such as Leucaena, Mulberry, Trichanthera, and Moringa can be incorporated into feeds.
“While research has demonstrated their efficiency in feeding animals, T&T lacks an abundant supply of these forages. We don’t even have ten acres of any one of these forages. We want to see more investment in local feed ingredients,” she explained.
Saying cultivation of these crops can be a lucrative source of income for farmers, Dr Singh called on the region to embrace the cultivation of these forages.
She noted that decades of research was done at The UWI noting that the Sugar Cane Feeds Center was established to investigate, evaluate and produce local feeds initially from sugar cane and its derivatives.
Noting the troubling trend in animal husbandry, Dr Singh said farms have diminished in size and the number of livestock farmers has also decreased.
She attributed this decline to a lack of investment in agriculture as well as dependence on imported food.
Despite locally produced meats being more expensive, Dr Singh said they offer higher nutritional value. She also said crops for animal feed should be cultivated commercially
“There is ample unused land under the Ministry of Agriculture which can be leased. With a decline of over 60 per cent in livestock farmers, even government-run facilities show empty pens and deteriorating conditions,” she lamented.
She further emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change, increasing heat levels, and rising sea levels, all of which have substantial environmental impacts on daily life.
Dr Singh recommended the cultivation of foraging birds like quail and guinea birds, as well as goats, which are better suited to local conditions.
Meanwhile, Agronomist Akanath Singh also supported the cultivation of feedstock alternatives. He said Trinidad has been growing these types of forages for years, stressing the need for commercialization and larger-scale local production.
“We do already have small-scale Moringa Farms in T&T where it is processed as a powder and used for medical purposes. I have personally worked with many gardeners cultivating Mulberry which has shown excellent growth and yields,” Singh said.
He added: “We can designate areas for the establishment of forage reserves which can be used during periods of low fodder availability. Such areas must not be prone to flooding and will require proper planning, monitoring and expert guidance.”
Earlier this week Livestock farmers in Tobago complained of feed shortages. They say chickens have resorted to cannibalism due to a lack of feed.
PHOTO: Director of the Center for Agricultural Research and Innovation at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill, Barbados, Dr Michele Singh.
