Various initiatives related to the agricultural and animal husbandry sector launched

Various initiatives related to the agricultural and animal husbandry sector worth around Rs 23,300 crore launched including Unified Genomic Chip for cattle and indigenous sex-sorted semen technology for the benefit of the livestock.  

Sex sorted semen is very effective in breed improvement and till now it was  manufactured by multinational companies. Its price was Rs.800, which was not available to the farmers at an affordable rate. The National Dairy Development Board under the Animal Husbandry Department has invented sex sorted semen worth Rs. 250. It is administered in three shots, and trials have shown that artificial insemination using this method results in 70-80% female calves and fewer male calves. This is the key feature of sex-sorted semen.

The genomic chip is based on DNA which proves to be very effective in genetic improvement of the cattle. The whole world – USA, Denmark, Netherlands used this technology which has resulted in genetic improvement of their livestock.  The genomic chip will prove beneficial in the direction of genetic improvement of the livestock which will be beneficial for the farmers. The Cow Chip for Cows and Mahish Chip for Buffaloes were launched.

Source : PIB