Punjab gets Holstein Friesian breed bulls to enhance germ plasm

Chandigarh, Dec 27 (IANS) Punjab has received four Holstein Friesian breed bulls, imported from Germany, to enhance germ plasm of crossbreed cows, state Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said on Sunday.He said under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, the National Dairy Development Board has provided the bulls to to the state to boost milk production and to improve breed of milch cattle.As the traditional agriculture is no longer lucrative owing to rapidly increasing cost of food production, the state is focusing on developing dairy as an allied farming sector, he said.Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry, V.K. Janjua said the imported bulls are in the age of 10 to 12 months and semen production will start in two years.He said during first year 8,000-10,000 semen straw production is expected from them and will increase to 25,000 semen straws in the coming years.The exotic germ plasm would be introduced into the local gene pool, resulting in overall improvement of the breed, Janjua said.Director Animal Husbandry H.S. Kahlon said the bulls have been kept at the semen bank in Ropar town. When the semen production will start, the semen straws will be distributed to all veterinary hospitals and dispensaries of districts through it.
--IANS vg/vd