The City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) continues to implement Veterinary Integrated Barangay Extension Services (VIBES) in the city’s barangays, especially in far-flung areas.
The VIBES program is a combination of veterinary services that include pregnancy diagnosis in female large animals, deworming livestock and poultry, consultation and treatment, artificial insemination, synchronization and vitamin supplementation.
Hemosept vaccination and hog cholera vaccination is also offered during VIBES as well as anti-rabies vaccination.
Dr. Ma. Corazon Sepulveda, Officer-in-Charge of the CVO, in an interview with the City Information Office said that the CVO has been offering VIBES to the barangays for almost 20 years now.
Through the VIBES, the CVO was able to provide vitamin supplementation to 62,030 large and small ruminants and poultry serving 5,739 clients in 2023. They were also able to deworm 40,859 livestock and poultry in the same year.
A total of 1,136 livestock received Hemosept vaccine in 2023, and 17 cattle and three carabaos received artificial insemination in the same year.
As of September 2024, the CVO was able to give vitamin supplementation to 6,445 animals serving 478 clients. They have also dewormed 5,819 animals, while 214 livestock received Hemosept vaccine.
Sepulveda added that during the VIBES, their personnel also gather specimens for fecalysis and blood sampling to test diseases.
She also emphasized on the importance of artificial insemination of large cattle and carabaos for food security urging Dabawenyos to coordinate with their office to avail themselves of their free services.
“Kung mayroon pong request ang mga barangay, pwede po silang tumawag sa office at magrequest po sila ng ganyan na mga activities para po lahat tayo makaavail ng libre lalo na yung sa ating artificial insemination (If the barangays request for VIBES, they may call our district offices to request for these activities so that everyone can avail themselves of our free services especially the artificial insemination),” Sepulveda said.
“Kailangan natin ‘yan kasi kailangan nating paramihin yung ating large animals at maging healthy sila for food sustainability (We need these services because we need to increase the number of our large animals and make sure that they are healthy for food sustainability),” she added.
The CVO is also eyeing the implementation of artificial insemination to small ruminants like goats.
Sepulveda said their personnel are already undergoing training for artificial insemination in small ruminants.
All services offered by the City Veterinarian’s Office are free. They also conduct information education campaigns, free anti-rabies vaccination, and castration services year-round. CIO
