CLP Project Summary
Artificial Insemination Project
A. Brief Background
Artificial Insemination (AI) improves livestock breeding in a cost-effective way. It is a convenient means of
improving livestock productivity and improving the return on investment in livestock, without the necessity of
having access to a live crossbred bull, which are difficult to access on the chars. AI raises productivity of
cattle through improving their genetic potentiality, which increases both milk production and weight gain as a
result of increased capacity for feed utilisation.
The Government of Bangladesh extends animal healthcare and production services throughout 476
Upazilas all over the country through the Department of Livestock Services (DLS). DLS has been providing
AI services through AI sub-centres, whilst BRAC also has a parallel AI programme in many parts of the
country. BRAC and DLS have a bilateral agreement to establish AI centres in all uncovered areas of the
country. According to information collected by CLP’s Livelihoods Unit, 114 AI sub-centres operate within the
CLP-1 working area, 62 of which are DLS supported and 54 of which are BRAC supported. Details of these
sub-points are documented in Annex-1, whilst the key differences between BRAC and DLS approaches to
AI are outlined in Annex-2.
To increase the productivity of next generation cattle and maximise income from cattle rearing under CLP’s
cornerstone Asset Transfer Project (ATP), an AI project was introduced under CLP1. The project used half
bred exotic bulls, as it was felt that the resulting 25% exotic, 75% local breed progeny would be more
suitable than those with a higher percentage of exotic blood, in terms of disease resistance, heat tolerance,
feed and milk requirement, given the physical environment and economic situation faced by char dwellers. A
total of 4,565 cows were inseminated up to December 2009. By the end of CLP1, 687 cows had given birth
to AI calves and a further 1,393 were at various stages of pregnancy.
CLP also undertook a pilot oestrus synchronisation project in Sirajganj. A total of 122 cows/heifers were
included in the pilot programme, all of which were inseminated artificially after hormone treatment to ensure
they came into heat at a pre-determined time. Although the pregnancy rate was high (74 out of 122
cows/heifers i.e. 59%, compared to the pregnancy rates of local cattle under ATP-I, ATP-II and ATP-III,
which were 40%, 39% and 43% respectively), the pilot also revealed two key issues with the oestrus
synchronisation method: cost compared to AI and lack of availability of hormonal drugs. Thus, CLP2 will
focus on AI, rather than oestrus synchronisation.
CLP staff estimate that 50% of Core Participating Households (CPHHs) have access to an insemination
facility operated by either BRAC or DLS. Under CLP2, there will be greater emphasis on promoting access
to AI, through strengthening access to these existing AI facilities and operating a voucher scheme for AI
services and calf feed. CLP will also encourage further expansion by DLS and BRAC into CLP working
areas. Discussions have already taken place with the Technical Manager of BRAC’s AI programme and the
Assistant Director of the DLS AI Centre in Bogra, both of whom have agreed to support the AI project under
CLP2.
B. Objectives
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To increase selected (able and willing) AI project participants’ income from improved breed cattle
rearing, by 25% above the rearing of local breeds;
To increase access to AI facilities by 20% from initial levels; and
To increase the numbers and coverage of AI sub-Centres serving the chars by 50% by EoP.
C. Results Expected
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30% of all CPHHs will participate in this project (approximately 18,600);
50% of AI attempts will successfully result in conception
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97% of incidences of conception will result in successful births of AI calves;
Income of AI project participants’ will be increased, which will contribute to the improvement of
livelihoods;
Genetic potentiality of local zebu cattle in the chars area will be improved;
The coverage of AI facilities will be expanded;
Participants’ knowledge of AI will be increased.
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D. Activity outline
Methodology
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In the first place, AI facilities in the CLP2 working area will be mapped in detail. District staff will
collect information on existing AI sub-centres and their coverage as well as identify possible
locations where new AI points may be established, following the format detailed in Annex-3. BRAC
& DLS plans for establishing new AI points in the uncovered area will be discussed and CLP will
encourage them to set up AI points in CLP working area and agree to a timetable;
Before inception of the project, CLP will organise a meeting with AI workers on a regional basis to
discuss the objectives of the programme and implementation procedures. Then these will be
organised every 3 months in the first year and every 6 months thereafter to discuss the progress,
problems and prospects in details;
IMO Livestock Officers (LOs) will discuss the advantages of AI in the livestock training and identify
the potential ATP participants considering selection criteria (see section below);
IMOs will supply a list of AI workers known to them. AI workers will work independently;
To create demand for AI services in char areas, CLP will provide vouchers to those who purchase
heifers or cows where AI facilities already exist. The CLP Livelihoods Coordinator will design and
produce the vouchers in coordination with the Livestock Services Coordinator and supply them to
district livelihoods staff. Respective livelihoods district staff will supply vouchers to IMOs according
to the number of eligible participants, with each participant receiving one voucher to pay for AI
services1;
Participants or IMO staff will inform AI workers when cows or heifers show signs of being in heat. AI
workers use cell phones to facilitate communication;
AI workers detect heat properly before insemination of a cow. They have to observe some
symptoms of cows to be inseminated i.e. smooth mucus secretion from vulva, the hair of tail
becomes ruffled, flanks will become dirty; spend less time eating, increase body temperature etc. A
cow is inseminated after 12-18 hours of heat detection;
AI workers will inseminate cows and collects vouchers from beneficiaries (which are signed by both
LOs and AI workers) and provides the AI card. The card developed by DLS/BRAC where date of
insemination, breed of semen, expected date of delivery etc is to be mentioned; LOs keep a record
of delivery of the AI service in beneficiary passbooks;
AI workers will be reimbursed accordingly, by submitting vouchers to either LOs (who take vouchers
to the IMO Accountant in the IMO office, who in turn arranges payment at a regular stipend cash
pay point once or twice a month, on a fixed and pre-arranged date) or directly to IMO Accountants
(in which case they receive immediate payment, on regular pre-agreed days);
IMOs will organise and conduct training on cattle breeding, care of pregnant and milking cow and
calf rearing after 3 months of insemination i.e. when confirmed pregnancy. Through this training,
participants shall learn: the difference between crossbred and local breeds; the merits of AI;
symptoms of a pregnant animal, delivery procedure and complexities; calf delivery; care of pregnant
cow and new born calves; de-worming and vaccination of calves, etc. A lesson plan is attached in
Annex-4;
IMOs will supply 3 vouchers for calf feed (each voucher will be for one month’s supply of feed,
which will be 3.5-4kg according to market conditions) to beneficiaries whose heifers or cows give
birth to an AI calf. Participants will get calf feed from Livestock Services Providers (LSPs) in
1
For the initial two years the voucher value will be Tk.300, which will increase to Tk.350 for the following
two years, considering inflation. The value of the voucher includes the price of semen, transport to chars
areas plus a margin.
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exchange for vouchers. LSPs will be reimbursed against vouchers at market rates; they receive
reimbursement by following either of the same methods as detailed for AI workers above. LOs will
check that eligible participants receive calf feed on time;
Communication with DLS and BRAC is very important to execute the project successfully. The
Livelihoods Unit Manager (LUM), LC and LSC liaise with head quarter level of DLS and BRAC. CLP
district staff liaise at district level and IMO staffs will liaise with respective AI workers.
Participant selection criteria
Participants will be selected from CPHHs according to the following selection criteria:
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Purchased heifer or cow;
Willing to get AI service for her heifer or cow; and
Willing to participate in training.
MIS and reporting requirements
LOs keep all the records of the artificial insemination programme in a monthly monitoring format (see
Annex-5) and submit progress reports to Livelihoods Development Supervisors (LDSs). The information
recorded in the format is as follows:
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name of AI worker
name of participant
HHID, village, Union and Upazila
date of insemination
breed and age of cow
parity
name of bull semen
date and result (+/-) of pregnancy diagnosis
date of delivery
sex of the calf
information on any complexities during delivery.
ATSs consolidate the reports submitted by LOs (see Annex-6 for format) and provides consolidated reports
to livelihoods district staff through IMO Project Managers. District staff consolidate the reports of respective
IMOs (see Annex-7) and submit consolidated reports to the LC. Each month the LC compiles and analyses
data and prepare a final report. The final report is to be submitted to the LUM & CLP’s Innovation,
Monitoring and Learning (IML) for reviewing or comments.
Impact monitoring
After two years, IML will conduct a study to evaluate the economic return from cattle rearing using artificial
insemination facilities in comparison with that from natural insemination.
Risks and how they are mitigated
Low conception rate and calf mortality are the major risks of this project. To reduce these risks, the following
measures will be taken:
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Knowledge of participants regarding AI and heat detection to be increased through training;
Consciousness of AI workers and IMO staff regarding the project to be enhanced through keeping
liaison with each other and regular meetings; and
Awareness of new born AI calf rearing to be increased through training.
Procurement Plan
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Budget for voucher cost of AI services and calf feed and participant training cost will be allocated to the
respective IMOs with ATP contracts. Installments are to be disbursed as per the ATP contracts.
How Gender and disadvantage has been considered and included
Participants of this project are almost exclusively women.
Key milestones and deadlines
Events
Identify existing AI sub-centres and
points
Participant selection
Events to be done
Time line
During final selection of CBHHs
2 weeks
AI voucher distribution
During1st and 2nd Orientation meeting with
CPHHs
After purchase of heifer or cow
Participant training
After getting AI service for their cattle
Distribution of calf feeding vouchers
After confirmation of AI calf born
12 weeks
(continuous)
2 weeks
(continuous)
20 weeks
(continuous)
2 weeks
(continuous)
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