CEBU CITY, Aug. 15 — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia inaugurated Tuesday an P11-million plant that produces liquefied nitrogen, a vital element in preserving the semen of quality livestock used for artificial insemination (AI).

”This will be good for our AI program, especially in upgrading our local stocks of our horses, cows and goats,” said Garcia.

The new plant separates nitrogen from atmospheric air and liquefies it to below zero degree.

The liquefied nitrogen is ideal for preserving semen stocks of up to 50 years or more, said Cebu Provincial Veterinarian Mary Rose Vincoy.

The plant is housed in a newly-built P500,000 building.

Dr. Vincoy said farmers can now breed the large Anglo-nubian goats, Holstein cows for meat and milk production and Murrah buffaloes that weigh half a ton.

The liquefied nitrogen is placed inside mother tanks 2.5 feet in diameter.

A tank contains nine canisters, each containing 1,200 straws. Semen extracted from various breeds and animal species are placed in each straw.

Vincoy said each of these semen straws is inserted into the female animal’s organ when in heat.

”If they sold carabaos then for P17,000 each, with an improved stock they may soon sell half-breed Murrah buffalo at P35,000 to P50,000 each,” said Vincoy.

The Cebu Provincial Veterinary Office will also sell liquefied nitrogen mother tanks containing semen straws, said the governor.

Livestock semen from the Philippine Carabao Center in Cebu, National Dairy Authority and the National Artificial Breed Center in Bukidnon are free, said Vicente Bellarmino, Capitol’s AI coordinator.

Vincoy said each artificial insemination will cost P3,000 for Cebu farmers and P4,000 for those from other provinces.

Garcia said the nitrogen plant produces four mother tanks of liquefied nitrogen per day. The current demand is from four to six tanks a day. She said this will also be part of the province’s economic enterprise program.

Vincoy said farmers will just call their office for AI, and the province’s 53 certified inseminator technicians will visit them to check, if their female animal is in heat. [(PNA) EB/re]