ROURKELA: The Bovine Breeding Research and Bull-Mother Farm (BBR&BF) at Kuanrmunda is set to take a huge leap in the conservation of the indigenous Sahiwal cattle breed with addition of state-of-the-art facilities. The exclusive Sahiwal breeding farm under Rashtriya Gokul Mission will soon be equipped with a hi-tech cow shed for breeding the world-famous cattle variety. The Mission has sanctioned `3crore for the purpose.
The BBR&BF superintendent Dr. Muktikanta Bhuiyan said the hi-tech shed will have a capacity to house 400 cows and 200 will be inducted in the first phase. This apart, the farm will have its own fodder production unit. An irrigation project is coming up over 100 acres would ensure harvesting of different grass fodder thrice in a year, while another 85 acre would be taken up for fodder cultivation during monsoon, he said.
The farm superintendent said the primary focus is to conserve and promote the Sahiwal breed among farmers in the State. It has a target of producing 10-12 Sahiwal bulls through artificial insemination annually. Surplus cows and bulls will be provided to farmers. At present, the farm has 206 cows, including 66 milking ones of which 58 are Sahiwal variety. The remaining ones are of cross-bred jersey and other breeds, which will be phased out gradually. The farm last year supplied two Sahiwal bull calves to the Frozen Semen Bank at Cuttack. The indigenous cattle breed from the Indian sub-content is in high demand in the country and world over for its high milk yield, resistance to diseases and pests and tolerance to climatic conditions.
HIGH IN DEMAND