Twelve successful participants composed of provincial artificial insemination coordinators (PAIC) who are also performing as AI technicians from Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Maguindanao completed the Advance Training on Ovarian Palpation facilitated by the Philippine Carabao Center at University of Southern Mindanao (PCC at USM) from May 1 to 12, 2019.

Mr. Jeffrey Rabanal, AI and training coordinator of PCC at USM said that the training aims at strengthening the knowledge and skills of AI technicians on ovarian palpation to discern effectively estrus period and right timing of AI services in carabaos to increase calf drop efficiency and eventually increase the carabao population.

Moreover, ovarian palpation can determine the status of ovary and differentiate the sizes of follicles and determine any presence of corpus luteum and dominant follicles, which are attributes to subject female carabaos to AI after estrus synchronization (ES).  

For many years, AI is one of the banner services of the PCC and is rendered nationwide in the villages by trained AI technicians.  It is used to produce animals with better productivity for milk and meat while also improving the draft power capability of carabaos.

The resource speakers include Dr. Peregrino Duran, National AI and Bull Loan Coordinator, PCC National Headquarters; Mr. Hernando Venturina, SSRS, PCC at CLSU; Dr. Virgilio Lopez, Farm Superintendent II and Mr. Jeffrey Rabanal, AI and Training Coordinator both from PCC at USM. They discussed topics such as Review on the Anatomy and Physiology of Female Reproductive System; Physiology of Estrus Cycle in Carabaos; Folliculogenesis; In-situ study of Ovarian Structures, In-vivo Familiarization of the Ovarian Structures (Rectal palpation in parallel with Transrectal Ultrasonography); Selection of Animals for Hormonal injection; Principles of Estrus Synchronization and Induction of Ovulation in Carabaos; Best Practices in AI to Increase Efficiency Rate;  Corpus Luteum Development and Function; Hormonal Interplay in relation to Female Reproduction; Ovum Pick-Up (OPU) Technology; and Familiarization of Ovarian Structures thru Rectal Palpation. 

Actual field practice on pregnancy diagnosis (PD) and AI of carabaos in various barangays in the municipalities of Matalam and Mlang, Cotabato and Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat were done, which was facilitated by AI technicians from PCC at USM.  An examination was also conducted to assess the knowledge gained by the participants after the training.

During the closing program, Dir. Benjamin John Basilio, center director of PCC at USM, encouraged and challenged all AI technicians to sharpen their knowledge and skills on ES and AI so that calf drop efficiency can be improved. 

In response, Mr. Robert Cardinal, PAIC of Davao del Norte said that the training was so timely for them to enhance their performance of AI services in the field and that every aspect of the training expectations were amply tackled in preparation for the actual application.