Frieswal Cattle : National Milch breed

The Frieswal project was conceptualized to develop a crossbred strain of cattle for the country yielding 4000 kg of milk with 4% butter fat in a mature lactation of 300 days.  The project is ongoing with Military Farms as they are the largest single source of crossbred cattle with proper pedigree and recording systems, which was suitable for the induction of superior exotic germplasm. Further by establishing collaboration between Military farms of Ministry of defence and ICAR-CIRC, livestock resources and infrastructure from the Military farms and technical expertise from ICAR, have been brought to a common platform, which helped to utilize Friesian-Sahiwal crossbred as a base for the evolution of a new crossbred national milch breed-Frieswal through inter se mating, selection and progeny testing.

Further by establishing the progeny testing network across the 37 Military Farms to cover all the agro-climatic zones of the country, make the strain suitable for use in any part of the country.

Frieswal cattle: Breed for Milk production

The Frieswal cattle is developed utilizing the crossbreds of (Holstein×Sahiwal) in 37 Military Farms to cover all the agro-climatic zones of the country. Good performance of Frieswal cows at different locations indicates the adaptation of this germplasm in various agro climatic conditions of the country. The utilization of large herds of Military farms in various agro-climatic zones of India also augmented the production of Frieswal bulls for semen collection and progeny testing by nominated mating of elite cows and proven bulls in the project.  This had also provided an option to sale the semen of meritorious bulls outside the project area for the benefit of farmers and other stakeholders.

The average milk production potential of Frieswal cows based on 300 day milk yield is more than 3300 kg, and more than 10% of the Frieswal herd belongs to elite classification, with production above 4000, 4500, 5000kg or more milk during first, second or subsequent lactation, respectively. The genetic (0.63 kg/year) and phenotypic (2.43 kg/year)   trends in first lactation milk production were positive. 

The reproduction parameters of the Frieswal animals were also optimum unlike other crossbred populations of the country.  On an average, 80% of the animals calved for before 3 years of age. Moreover the growth rate of these animals was optimum, so that there was no decline in production performance observed due to calving at an early age.  This substantially will increase the productive life of the animals and there by the profitability of rearing Frieswal animals will be quite high in farmers’ herds.  Further calving interval and service period of these animals were also within the limits, which adds to the

The availability of genetically proven bulls of crossbreds has been limited at all times which hindered the implementation of genetic improvement programmes.  As per the 20^th national livestock census (2019), the crossbred female population   is 50.42 million and there is a huge gap in the number of breedable males available and actually required to breed this vast female cattle population. The Frieswal project is the only project in the country where more than 250 bulls were progeny tested.  The quality semen produced from bulls borne out by mating of proven bulls and elite cows can be utilized in the field conditions to improve the production potential of crossbred population.  Also, the proven bull semen is also made available to the stakeholders for artificial insemination of the elite animals in the progressive farmer herds.  Further per year more than 100 male calves are produced by elite mating, under the project. These male calves can be extensively used for semen collection and genetic improvement programmes of the country.