Livestock Board to launch distribution of sex-sorted semen in Kerala

As part of the efforts aimed at increasing milk production, the Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB) is launching a scheme to promote the use of sex-sorted semen for producing female calves under an accelerated breed improvement programme.

Minister for Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani will formally launch the scheme in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

The advent of semen sexing technology has made it possible to beget female calves with more than 90% accuracy. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, has cleared a project under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) Scheme for using sexed semen for assured pregnancy.

The KLDB, an agency under the State Animal Husbandry department, aims to distribute sexed spermatozoa through 330 artificial insemination (AI) centres run by the department, 79 private AI centres, and 54 AI centres run by farm-sector cooperatives. The sexed semen will also be supplied to farms of the department, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, KLDB, and select private farms.

For joining the scheme, dairy farmers are required to enter into an agreement with the KLDB through the AI service agency. The KLDB will provide two AI per animal on payment of ₹500. In case the animal fails to get pregnant even after two AIs with sexed semen, KLDB will return the amount.

Ms. Chinchurani will also launch ADAPT (Application for Data Analysis in Progeny Testing), a software/application developed by KLDB in collaboration with the Digital University on Monday. ADAPT brings the data in the herd book scheme and the progeny testing programme under one umbrella.