Assam Tribune 16/10/06
4a/s/o/as
First artificially-inseminated swamp buffalo calf born in
State
GUWAHATI, Oct 15 – For the first time in the state a swamp buffalo has recently given
birth to a 30 kg female healthy calf that was served with artificial insemination using
frozen semen, a press note issued by the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department
said.
Natural service is the only means of breeding these buffaloes since AI technique is yet to
be taken up by the State AH & Veterinary department for its improvement. The swamp
buffaloes possess semi-wild nature in their behaviour and hence to maintain them under
complete stall-feeding condition like other livestock is a difficult task. Collection of
semen from male swamp buffalo is a great challenge owing to their agressive and noncooperative nature. Freezing of semen is another sophisticated approach for conserving
germplasm for future use.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi sanctioned a project entitled
‘Network project of swamp buffalo’
in Tenth Five Year Plan for genetic improvement of the swamp buffaloes of Asom. This
project is running under the technical guidance of Dr Gopal Chandra Das, Associate
professor cum principal investigator4, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding,
College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara. Under this
project a herd of swamp buffalo has been established. These animals were brought from
different buffalo ‘khuties’ maintained near Kaziranga National Park and Pabitora
Wildlife sanctuaries. There is also few breeding buffalo bulls maintained in the farm.
A female swamp buffalo under the project on estrus was served with artificial
insemination using frozen buffalo semen that has now given birth a healthy female
buffalo calf weighing 30 kg. In this regard, the name of Dr Sourabh Deori, Dr Biren
Kumar Das is worth mentioning whose untiring effort has made it possible to get the first
AI born swamp buffalo calf in the State. The project is now going to produce progeny
tested buffalo bulls which would help in the genetic improvement of the swamp buffaloes
of Asom.