Barbadians should not expect an immediate surge in milk production despite the importation of nearly 200 heifers from Canada late last year.
President of the Barbados Dairy and Beef Producers Association, Patrick Butcher, noted the country continued to grapple with a shortage of locally produced milk, but cautioned that dairy production was a phased process and would take time to reach optimal levels.
Speaking at a joint press conference yesterday at the Animal Nutrition Unit alongside key industry stakeholders and Ministry of Agriculture officials, Butcher said while the new heifers would help strengthen local supply, peak production would not be realised until mid-year and beyond.
He explained that lactation in cows was a gradual process, requiring time for production levels to build up after calving.
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