" Animal Reproduction "

Prof. Dr. Uday Sabah Askar

The hammer of possibilities besieges reproduction on the anvil of increasing local consumption of farm animal meat... From a scientific perspective, reproduction is defined as the production of new individuals of the same species in order to increase their numbers and preserve them from extinction; Therefore, it is natural for reproduction to continue in order to escape the danger zone. To gain a comprehensive and thorough understanding, we must clarify some basic concepts, including population growth, which is directly linked to reproduction and animal breeding. To cope with this growth, which is the increase in the number of people in a geographical area, it is clear from the above definition that the increase in individuals requires an increase in the number of animals suitable for human consumption. It is worth noting here that the steady population growth has become evident and follows a geometric progression, which can only be addressed by providing the necessary food for the population .

Another important concept is the agricultural environment, which encompasses everything surrounding agriculture, including non-living environmental elements such as water, air, sunlight, and soil, as well as surrounding living elements or organisms. Here, I would like to point out two important points :

The first point is that animal husbandry is a type of trade, and the farmer aims to make a profit. This can only be achieved if a suitable environment is provided, including water, feed, and prices that encourage the farmer to continue raising livestock.

The second issue: The problems surrounding animal husbandry include very little government support and the instability of the local market for several reasons, including the lack of control and regulation of imports to maintain market stability and prevent heavy losses for farmers that would discourage them from raising animals. This is compounded by lax enforcement of regulations regarding the entry of live animals and the failure to quarantine them at borders to control epidemics, which forces farmers to pay for additional treatments to eliminate the disease, or even leads to the death of their animals and their complete loss.

This is a brief overview of raising farm animals locally. If we were to compare it with the experiences of agriculturally advanced countries like the Netherlands, for example, I have found, from my own experience, that farm animals are protected by strict laws that are no less rigorous and meticulously enforced than the laws concerning humans. For instance, it is forbidden to encroach upon green pastures for any commercial or industrial activity, regardless of the reason. Similarly, it is prohibited to import products such as eggs, milk, and meat as long as local production is available and meets the demand. Ironically, in one year, the government, in an effort to protect local produce, dumped large quantities of milk into the sea to maintain stable prices and avoid harming farmers. This was in addition to imposing taxes on imported products to encourage local production. Simultaneously, advanced research centers were established to conduct studies that would contribute to the development of this vital sector in the country. One of the results of these centers—and I'm still referring to the Netherlands—was the development of excellent breeds of cows, such as the Friesian, renowned worldwide for its milk production. Research on these breeds continues, and their milk production has reached fifty liters per milking, meaning one hundred liters per day across two milkings. Furthermore, the use of modern reproductive technologies, such as in-vitro fertilization, identical twinning, embryo transfer, and sex selection, has significantly increased production levels.

To keep pace with such developments, we can start where they left off by establishing laboratories, potentially funded by those same countries, to develop these technologies. This way, we benefit from their expertise, and they benefit by marketing their laboratory-produced products. In fact, there are several ideas that can be utilized to develop this important sector of the economy. After this brief explanation, you can imagine a simple comparison between the situation in those countries and ours. In our country, for example, the number of sheep has decreased to a quarter of its pre-2011 levels. The water level of the Euphrates River has halved, impacting sheep numbers due to the scarcity of green fodder. The drought and famine that have plagued the desert in recent years have led to the sale of large numbers of sheep and the departure of Bedouin tribes from the region. Furthermore, the unjustified proliferation of unregulated restaurants has contributed to the depletion of sheep populations. And the smuggling of livestock has been a major blow to livestock breeding.

This is where breeding comes in, to prevent this waste and replenish the herds that were nearly depleted. It's worth noting that, for example, there are only two breeding specialists in our university and our province, and there's no interest in this field due to a lack of awareness of its importance, especially now when we desperately need to improve breeding efficiency to avert an economic catastrophe, God forbid.

Have a good day