Genetic studies on performance of important indigenous breeds of cattle and their improvement through selection

The project is being operated in the home tracts of three indigenous cattle breeds viz., Gir, Kankrej and Sahiwal in collaboration with various State Veterinary /Agricultural Universities and ICAR institutes, State Government Farms, NGOs and Gaushalas. The project is primarily aimed to conserve, propagate and improve the genetic potential of these three famous indigenous cattle breeds. The technical programme of the project envisages the establishment of germplasm (GP) and data recording units (DR) for each breed by registering the animals maintained under farm and field conditions, respectively. The young bulls born out of the nominated mating of elite cows at the germplasm centre will be progeny tested using animal and farm facilities existing at the Data Recording Units/ associated herds.

As per the technical programme of the project, for each breed of cattle about 75 elite breedable females will be made available at the GP unit and about 750 breedable females shall be identified at about 5 DR units (herds). The elite females in the GP unit will be mated with the genetically superior proven bulls of the breed for the production of superior young bulls. The young bulls born out of nominated mating in the germplasm unit will be utilized for breeding the females registered in the DR units and around 60 to 70 females will be mated by one young bull so as to get the first lactation milk production records of at least 20 progenies per bull. The information on growth, reproduction, milk production and survivability will be recorded for performance evaluation, selection and genetic improvement of recommended indigenous cattle breeds.

Gir breed:

            The GP unit of Gir cattle is located at Cattle Breeding Farm, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh. The DR units of the breed are located in 11 farmer herds and three associated herds and a total of 13557 breedable females were identified and registered so far under the project.

Kankrej breed:

            The GP unit of Kankrej cattle is located at Livestock Research Station, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat and two DR units consisting of organized farms and 6200 farmers animals have been identified and registered under the project.

Sahiwal breed:

            The GP unit of Sahiwal breed is located at the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal and three DR units are located at 

i) GADVASU, Ludhiana 

ii) G.B. Pant University of Agricultural and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarkhand 

iii) LUVAS, Hisar, Haryana.