Who is VLSD?

Veterinary & Livestock Services Division

VLSD Stands for Veterinary & Livestock Services Division, and falls under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Production, Fisheries and Rural Development in St. Lucia.

Diseases in animals are of great concern for the Island of St. Lucia. At present we are enjoying the fact that we have no reports of any infectious disease which is considered notifiable by the OIE (World Animal Health Organization), and we are determined to keep it that way.

 

We are very vigilant to prevent the introduction of these diseases into the Island, for it can have serious economic and social implications.

 

The Veterinary and Livestock Services Division not only is interested in the prevention and control of diseases on island but also the development of the livestock sector. Our division is further subdivided into commodities where each commodity comprises of a team whose mission is to educate, train and empower producers to maximize on their production, product quality and profits. 

 

OBJECTIVE:

 

To assist the production of quality livestock through the generation and transfer of appropriate technology and the promotion of good management practices that are cost effective. This objective is accomplished by putting the following in place:

 

• Providing farmers with improved genetic stock to facilitate improved blood lines.
• Monitoring stock health by the routine farm visits, minimizing possibilities of disease outbreak and controlling disease problems in the shortest time span.
• Monitoring production levels.
• Protecting animal population from foreign animal diseases by implementing regulatory and quarantine services.
• Protecting public health through inspection of animals destined for slaughter and the products.

 

The Veterinary and Livestock Services Division (VLSD) of the following commodities and Services:

 

• Veterinary Public Health and Quarantine Services
• Ambulatory and Clinic Services
• Poultry Health and Management
• Swine Health and Management
• Small Ruminant Health and Management
• Cattle Health and Management
• Rabbit Health and Management
• Apiculture
• Endemic Disease Control/Veterinary Laboratories

 

The commodity approach allows for the mobilization of our limited resources available towards selected farmers, with the sole objective of developing economically viable production and marketing entities.