Faec expands in vitro fertilization program to boost milk production in Ceará

The Ceará Federation of Agriculture and Livestock (Faec), in partnership with Sebrae, has been developing an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) program for nearly two years aimed at improving the genetic quality of the dairy cattle herd in the state. The initiative uses embryos from high-lineage reproducers and aims to add 500 thousand liters of milk per day to the state production. The program is being implemented in the municipalities of Milhã, Solonópole, Senador Pompeu, Independência, and Cedro, with expansion planned for other regions of Ceará. The average daily production of small producers, estimated at 6.6 liters per cow, has started to vary between 20 and 30 liters after the adoption of the technology. According to the president of Faec, Amílcar Silveira, the focus of the program is on small livestock farmers. "We are focusing on producers who have 10 to 30 recipient cows, into which the embryo is introduced. The beneficiary pays only 30% of the cost of fertilization, with Faec ...