PUNJAB BAGS 3RD POSITION IN PEDIGREE SELECTION SCHEME OF NILI RAVI ACROSS INDIA: GURMEET SINGH KHUDDIAN

Chandigarh, June 29:

          Punjab has secured third position in Pedigree Selection Scheme of Nili Ravi Breed across the country, said Punjab Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Mr Gurmeet Singh Khuddian while informing that the state has undertook the Nili Ravi Pedigree Selection project to promote and preserve indigenous Nili Ravi breed in the state.

          It is a matter of great pride as Punjab has secured 3rd position in Nili Ravi Pedigree Selection Scheme of buffalo, said Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, while adding that the state has also clinched 5th position in the Progeny testing Scheme in Murrah breed of buffalo and the 6th position in the Progeny Testing Scheme of Sahiwal Cows.

          He further informed that Punjab has already accomplished the target in Murrah Progeny testing Scheme, which was supposed to be completed in 2024.

          The main motive of these  projects is procurement of High Genetic Merit Bulls of these three breeds on the basis of the capacity of milk production of their mothers, he added.

          Reiterating the commitment of Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government to the welfare of the dairy farmers,  Mr Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said that the state government chalked out an action plan to keep the spread of deadly lumpy skin disease under check and so far a total of 25 lakh doses of goat pox vaccine have been administered to the cattle in the state.

          Apart from this, in order to protect the livestock from Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), the vaccine is being administered under a state-level campaign and a special drive will be launched soon to administer a vaccine to prevent Foot and Mouth disease in the state, the Cabinet Minister said.

          He further informed that the state has also procured 75,000 sexed semen doses to produce female calves, which have already been made available at affordable rates in all veterinary hospitals/dispensaries of the state, to increase the income of farmers and reduce the expenses incurred on maintenance of male calves and will also assist farmers in tackling the problem of stray cattle in the future.

          Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries department Mr. Vikas Pratap informed that under these three projects – Progeny Testing Murrah, Progeny Testing Sahiwal and Pedigree Selection Nili Ravi- being run by the department, the Semen Stations (Ropar and Nabha) of the state have been provided with high genetic merit Bulls of cows and buffaloes which will help in improving the genetic potential of these breeds in the state. So far 536 calves have been supplied to the semen stations of the state and across India. The purchase of male calves of farmers from 6 months to 2 years of age is done at the rate of Rs 6500 to Rs 65,000 per male calf.