500 head of cattle shipped from Lae to Launakalana

By MAX ORAKA
THE Livestock Development Corporation has shipped more than 500 cattle from Morobe to its Launakalana estate in Central.
Managing director Terry Koim said the cattle were taken to Central as part of the implementation of the Government’s national cattle breeding programme.
“We have done three shipments and right now we have more than 500 cattle in Launakalana,” he said.
“The first shipment was done in 2022 and the second and third done last year.”
The corporation used to be a subsidiary of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock but now operates independently following the setting up of the livestock ministry in 2022.
“We plan to enhance the development of the livestock industry, with plans to set up a regulatory authority to carry out the Government’s goals,” he said.
Koim added that the LDC had been operating in a policy and legislative vacuum and the plan is to improve the sector.
“We want to increase the number of cattle at Launakalana to a thousand to expand our operations.”
The LDC plans to increase the number of cattle so farmers can breed them and distribute calves to other farmers in Central and other parts of the Southern region.
“We aim to work with the community to enhance agricultural practices and facilitate the distribution of cattle. By increasing the number of cattle, we can expand our operation and extend Government services,” Koim said.