LAKKI MARWAT, May 24: District Nazim Humayun Saifullah Khan has said that the newly established frozen semen laboratory at Serai Naurang will usher in a new era in the development of livestock sector.

It would enable the local population to get semen of precious species of livestock for cattle breeding and increase milk and meat yield, he said, while speaking at the inauguration of the laboratory here on Wednesday.

Executive District Officer (agriculture) Tasleem Khan, assistant director livestock and dairy development Dr Gul Rehman and officials of the Barani Area Development Project (BADP) also attended the event.

The nazim said that the district government had provided Rs800,000 for the building of the laboratory, while BADP had spent Rs7.90 million to equip it.

He said the laboratory would facilitate farmers and livestock traders of the southern districts of the NWFP as well as people from Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bhakkar districts of Punjab to get frozen semen of buffaloes and cattle.

“The laboratory will boost the livestock sector, thus generating employment opportunities and alleviate poverty in the backward district,” Mr Khan said.—Correspondent