High-yielding indigenous bulls being developed for quality semen at 30 centres: Expert

Karnal, March 14

Dr MS Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, said the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of India, had initiated the production of high-yielding indigenous bulls at 30 locations in the country with the help of ovum-pickup technique to meet the demand of quality semen production.

Dr Chauhan was addressing scientists and students at the ICAR-NDRI here, while delivering the Dr KK Iya Memorial oration on the topic “Reproductive biotechnologies for addressing productivity challenges in dairy sector”.

He highlighted the contribution of the Indian dairy industry and said it contributed around 23 per cent of the global milk production. The industry contributed 5 per cent to the national economy and directly supported more than 8 crore farmers. “India’s dairy industry had grown significantly over the past 10 years,” Dr Chauhan added.

Dr Chauhan highlighted various reproductive technologies starting from artificial insemination (AI), oestrus synchronisation, multiple ovulation induction and embryo transfer (ET), sperm and embryo sexing, and in-vitro embryo production and cloning by nuclear transfer. He emphasised that recent developments in molecular markers coupled with the use of bioinformatics had opened the possibility for identifying genomic variation and major genes for the genetic improvement of livestock. Dr Dheer Singh, Director, NDRI, highlighted the contribution of Dr Chauhan in the NDRI.