Superior cattle breeds face threat, dept unmoved

Vishav Bharti

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 30

The unregulated sale of semen for artificial insemination has emerged as a new threat to high-yielding cattle breeds in the state. It has been two years since the Punjab Bovine Breeding Act, 2016, which bans the unregulated sale of semen for cattle, was passed. However, the sale continues and the Animal Husbandry Department has not taken action against even a single violator.

Over the past two decades, the department has made a lot of efforts to develop high-milk yielding breeds by using semen of superior bulls. However, the unregulated sale of semen threatens to jeopardise the gains over the past two decades.

Under the Act there is a provision for awarding one year’s imprisonment or Rs 1 lakh fine or both to the violators. The Act also does not allow semen banks being operated from outside the state to sell in the state without getting certification from the Animal Husbandry Department.

The extent of the problem can be measured from the fact that in December last year department officials caught quacks selling semen straws claiming that those were from prize-winning bulls “Yuvraj” and “Khali” at the 10th National Livestock Championship in Patiala. But they were let off allegedly under pressure from high-ups.

Taking advantage of the situation, a large number of quacks can be found roaming in villages and fleecing dairy farmers by selling such semen straws, supplied from Rajasthan and Haryana, officials told The Tribune.

In Punjab, there is a large market for semen straws, which are used for insemination of cattle. Every year the government-run Punjab Livestock Development Board sells 42 lakh semen straws for buffaloes and cows.

Officials feel that the dairy farmers are falling prey because besides their marketing tactics, the quacks sell the semen straw for almost half the price at which the government sells. “The Livestock Development Board sells a straw for Rs 50 and the quacks sell it for Rs 20 to Rs 30. Unaware of reliability, farmers go for the cheaper option,” said Dr Ashok Kumar, president, Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association.

According to officials, “Yuvraj” and “Khali” might have won prizes in various championships for health, but it does not insure that their progeny will have high-yield of milk. “We are not sure of their pedigree, whether they are disease-free or the milk quality of their progeny will be good,” Dr Ashok Kumar said.

The Animal Husbandry Department does not seem to have woken up to the situation. Under the Act, the government had also established the Punjab Bovine Breeding Authority, which was primarily responsible for checking the unregulated sale of semen. However, in two years of its existence, the authority has failed to hold even a single meeting.

Dr Amarjit Singh, Director, Animal Husbandry Department, could not be contacted, despite repeated attempts.