Amul’s AI success: Bovines impregnated in 1st attempt
The joy of motherhood is universal irrespective of type or breed. But sometimes it even leads to many disappointments as well. But for the Amul dairy, it was good news all the way when its trials to turn bovines pregnant in first attempt of an artificial insemination (AI) cycle achieved grand success. This has been done through an indigenously developed technology under the cattle breeding project at the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited’s Ode semen station. The standard conception rate of AI across the country currently stands at 3:1 as just one out of three attempts to turn the bovine pregnant achieves success. In the past couple of years, Amul dairy has already improved conception rate of animals to 2:1 by using thawing machines that are installed on bikes/ two-wheelers of AI workers. Traditionally, in the Indian dairy sector, the AI workers thaw the frozen semen (which is at minus 196 degrees) to required room temperature by using water that is often boiled in normal utensils and then inseminating the animal in heat with it. “This (boiling water in utensils) was not hygienic and done in scientific manner. So, we first developed thawing machines which can bring the frozen semen to the required temperature – 37 degrees – within seconds. Our AI workers are equipped with 1,200 thawing machines that are connected to their bike’s battery, therefore not requiring any power supply. This step helped us improve the conception rate to 2:1,” said Amul dairy’s managing director, Amit Vyas. “We have also developed a small camera along with a gun which is inserted inside the vagina of the animal to ascertain exact location of the semen insertion. The trials were on since the past couple of months and we have received success in our trials of achieving conception in first attempt,” said Vyas, adding that the output can be seen on mobile screen of an android phone. Chairman Ramsinh Parmar said that the new technology will help reduce burden of dairy farmers. “Each AI cycle that fails costs a farmer anywhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000. The new technology will help farmers reduce the cost they incur,” he said. Currently, the milk union has developed two such machines. “Our plan is to provide 1,200 such machines to our AI workers,” said Vyas. He further said that conception rate in female bovines is also improving as the dairy has started providing 2.2 % mineral mixture in cattle feed. “Cumulatively, the disease level has down to 10-15 %,” Vyas added.