Prime Minister S.Batbold officially began the Government’s Tavan-Erdene animal program at a veterinary conference in the Cultural Center last Saturday. The program will promote animal husbandry and offer free vaccinations to animals within the next three years.

In a speech opening the conference, Batbold noted that, while Mongolia is receiving much income from mining, herders and others who work with animals are also important to the country. The 1,400 delegates attending the conference included veterinarians, specialists, and herders. They were pleased to hear Batbold also say that veterinarians will officially have their occupation reclassified as “difficult,” since they work in difficult conditions and risk being injured or infected by animals.

Batbold underlined that if animals are healthy, food is safe, and the entire population will be healthy.