Why in news? Uttarakhand is planning for  genetic enhancement for Badri cow to increase the productivity ,its  milk production capacity is quite less as it gives one to three litres of milk a day.

Highlights

• The State, the Animal Husbandry Department proposed to use sex-sorted semen technology to improve the stock of the petite Badri cattle.
• It also proposed to opt for the embryo transfer method to produce more cattle of a high genetic stock.
• Ovum pick-up in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was the other technology that would be used to increase the yield.

How does this project helps farmers ?

• The proposal to introduce assisted reproductive technologies (ART) for the project, to generate employment and entrepreneurship through native Badri cattle productivity enhancement

What is Sex sorted semen technology?

• Sexed semen technology is about preselecting the sex of offspring by sorting or separating the X-sperms from Y-sperms. It produces female calves and preventing male calf birth through sorting

What is Multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) ?

• It can be defined as process or steps in removing the fertilised eggs from a female donor and putting them in multiple surrogate recipients, who are not related genetically .
• This technique can be carried out in a range of farm animals such as cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo and pig except in horses which are not able to be super ovulated.
• Embryo Transfer (ET) is an effective method of increasing the reproduction rate of individuals or groups of animals.

About Badri Cow

• First registered cattle breed of Uttarakhand, had been certified by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.
• The breed derived its name from the holy shrine of Char Dham at Badrinath.
• Possessing a balanced gait for the hills, the cattle breed is small in size with long legs and varied body colours black, brown, red, white or grey.
• This breed is comparatively more resistant to diseases, mostly due to its eating habits.
• This cow grazes only on herbs and shrubs available in the mountains, its milk has rich medicinal content and high organic value.
• Its urine has a high value due to its feeding and habitat.