BANGKOK, June 9 — The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) is pushing research strategies for better cattle breeding, as their number in the country has dwindled by almost 2 million since 2011.
Academicians, researchers, and relevant agencies from both the public and private sectors were present to voice their opinions and thoughts on the drafting of research strategies to improve the breeding of cattle in the country, to boost the numbers of livestock, as well as income.
The strategy should help stimulate and set boundaries for further research funding, as well as annual and targeted research, within the three key areas of production, management and marketing standards.
NRCT deputy secretary-general Kritawat Noppanakeepong said the Research Council internal network has planned to request a budget of more than Bt100 million during the 2015 fiscal year from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), to use it to develop domestic livestock breeding, particularly cattle.
Beef cattle have reeled in an income of no less than Bt65 billion a year and creates jobs for over 1 million families.
The NRCT executive noted, however, that Thailand currently faces a declining population of cattle, the overall herd size decreasing by about 2 million since 2011, which also prompted lower export values, due to the limited experience of cattle breeders, a lack of cattle fodder and breeding areas, a lack of breeding development, increasing disease in cows, as well as non-continuous policies to promote cattle breeding.
