Animal Reproduction

Management of Reproduction in dairy animals is the key element in the success of any dairy enterprise small or big. Successful reproduction management is an outcome of many critical and coherent events. Rearing of female calves on scientific lines to get healthy and pubertal heifers at an early age, accurate heat detection by the farmer, timely insemination with disease free semen following SOPs, maintenance of pregnancy till full term, calving resulting in a normal and healthy calf and dam, and early resumption of reproduction cycle post calving etc. are some of the critical events. Disruption at any point of this cycle will affect the reproduction efficiency of the animal and will lead to reduced milk production and less profits to dairy farmer.

The reproductive biotechnology has produced numerous technologies in the course of its development to augment reproduction, like Artificial Insemination (AI), in vivo and in vitro embryo transfer technology (ETT), sexing of semen etc. There is need for adopting these technologies in our country for enhancement of milk production. However, before widespread dissemination, many such technologies need pilot studies, standardisation and optimisation to make them efficient and affordable to our farmers. NDDB, through the 4 Mega semen stations established by its wholly owned subsidiary, has optimised production of disease free quality semen doses of high genetic merit bulls. NDDB was instrumental in establishing first Embryo Transfer Technology project in the country in 1987. NDDB also established a state-of-the-art OPU-IVEP facility for standardising production of bovine embryos through IVF and creating pool of manpower, to make the technology affordable to Indian farmer. Finally, all the efforts in the direction of reproduction should be concomitant with better nutrition of the animals as balanced nutrition is prerequisite for successful reproduction management.