Over one hundred cows were shipped into Maprik in the East Sepik, as investment for the district’s cattle project.
The cows were brought in from the Erap Farm in Morobe province, after spending three years there.
The initiative is a new concept the Maprik District Administration has engaged in, to revive the Agriculture and Livestock Industry in East Sepik.
The shipment of these cattle comes at a time East and West Sepik provinces are facing a shortage in livestock.
Ralph Yamb, the Momase Regional Livestock Advisor, who is based in Erap, explained that the cows were brought in to support local cattle farmers in the province.
It took almost a week for the cattle to travel up the Sepik River before reaching Pagwi Waterfront.
The cows came loaded on four semi-trailers on a sixteen metre long, and thirteen point five meter wide shipping vessel.
It was an historic moment for the people of Maprik as it is the first time since independence for such a huge shipment of cattle into the district.
Livestock farming is not a new concept in East Sepik. Prior to independence, Maprik used to supply beef to other districts in the province.
However, after the cows contracted TB, the Australian soldiers were forced to gun down the entire livestock before burning them.
These cows were driven from Pagwi in the Wosera Gawi Distict, to Maprik town, and later to the Kuimbu Cattle Farm.
After one week of traveling up the Sepik River, the cows have reached their new home, in Kuimbu Village.
This is the first lot of cattle to be brought in. There are expectations of two more shipments of cows and pigs yet to come.
