This first group interaction by DAIRY DIMENSION with seasoned dairy experts delves into the intricacies of breeding practices and their impact on milk production in India. As Schneider (1948) aptly noted, breeders must consider various factors, including climate adaptability, available feed, and the socio-economic context of livestock management. In this discussion, experts Dr. Kandasamy, Dr. Rajeshwaran, and a dairy expert who requested anonymity share their insights on the impact of breeding policy, the scope of genetic improvement, and the need for technological advancements.
Are current breeding policies relevant to address present and future demands for milk production and nutrition?
Dr. Kandasamy: Existing state breeding policies are broad generalizations. Supplying good quality frozen semen for insemination is more critical. Additionally, intervention by organizations like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) can restrict state control. Dairy farmers, primarily engaged in dairying, are the key stakeholders and it is important to involve them for better policy decisions.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Breeding policies need a complete overhaul, focusing on consumer preferences for liquid milk, homemade products, and bulk markets. Pooling milk from all animals should be phased out beginning with separate collection and sale of milk from crossbred cows (A1 milk) and indigenous cows and buffaloes (A2 milk). Breeding policies should be dynamic, district-specific, and decided upon by farmers who raise parent stock through Breeders’ Associations. Professionals can guide proper implementation.
Dairy expert: The breeding policy needs revision. Crossbreeding with exotic bulls like Holstein Friesian (HF) and Jersey can continue, but farmers should be empowered to choose the breed and blood level after understanding the pros and cons. Progeny-tested bull semen offers a reliable option.
Why has the growth rate of milk production in crossbred cows stagnated? Is crossbreeding a sustainable practice for a country as diverse as India?
Dr. Kandasamy: Loss of heterosis (increased vigor) in generations following the F1 (first cross) and crossbreeding in resource-poor
areas lowering the average milk yield are possible reasons. The decreasing need for draught power has led to a shift towards milk production for income generation, especially for small and marginal farmers. Crossbreeding with suitable breeds like Jersey or Holstein (around 50% exotic inheritance) is sustainable if followed by performance recording and progeny testing for wider use of superior sires. Crossbreeding should not be attempted in drought-prone areas. Sustainability depends on water availability, rainfall, crop residue availability, and also a suitable climate for dairy farming.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: There are multiple reasons like:
- Loss of hybrid vigor after the F1 generation
- Infertility due to incompatibility of genes between the two species Bos indicus and Bos tarus.
- Absence of selection as next generation parents and culling practices
- Indiscriminate breeding of cows
The goal for introducing crossbreeding was to quickly enhance milk production through hybrid vigor in the F1 generation using semen from high-yielding breeds. However, this vigor diminishes in subsequent generations.
Dairy expert: Several factors contribute to this stagnation. Selection of semen based on the breed and the farmer’s ability to manage high-yielding animals is crucial. More awareness is needed among service providers and farmers on proper breed and genetic merit selection. The aim of introducing crossbreeding was to increase milk production in low-yielding desi breeds. While we have 40 million crossbred cows, the average milk yield remains low. Selecting the right breed, combined with proper selection methods, is essential for sustainability.
Should data on milk production and other economic traits of elite herd cows be withheld from academic and farmer communities?
Dr. Kandasamy: The concept of an “elite herd” is relative under Indian conditions. Elite herd selection requires a large base population. Identifying elite cows and bulls is based on performance compared to contemporaries. Frequent changes in government leadership make maintaining elite herds challenging.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Transparent sharing of data on the pedigree and milk production of each animal at the individual farmer and village level, as well as involving farmers through livestock farmer associations, is crucial for identifying parent stock. This data, along with vaccination status, should serve as the foundation for selecting breeding stock—the parents of the next generation.
Dairy expert: This data should be accessible for analysis by academics and for informed decision-making by farmers.
What is the logic behind crossing draught breeds with milch breeds like HF and Jersey?
Dr. Kandasamy: In India, as the need for draught animals lessens, dairy farming offers income possibilities. However, local draught breeds have low milk production. To address this, farmers can crossbreed their draught animals with high-yielding exotic dairy breeds like Jersey or Holstein. This approach aims to improve milk production without replacing a farmer’s main source of income.
Dairy expert: This strategy to increase milk yield in draught breeds is not recommended. Draught breeds should be crossed with other draught breeds after selection. With increased mechanization, farmers rely less on draught breeds, which can now be crossed with Indian dairy breeds.
What role can draught breeds play in India with the shift towards mechanized farming?
Dr. Rajeshwaran: There’s immense potential for utilizing dung and urine from draught and milch cows for biogas generation and using slurry as organic fertilizer. Micro-biogas units at the household level have proven successful, providing economic benefits to farmers through reduced LPG and fertilizer costs.
Dairy expert: Draught breeds can still be valuable for small landholders in areas not yet fully mechanized.
What are the results of purebred cow breeding initiatives?
Dr. Kandasamy: The government encourages purebred herd establishment, but long-term success relies on farmer participation in their home tracts. Government support for healthcare, scientific assistance, and marketing can aid farmers in breeding purebreds. However, a long-term vision is needed that transcends short-term government mindsets.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Private initiatives focusing on passionate breeders using bulls with known characteristics for natural service on their purebred cows have yielded positive results. These breeders function as informal genetic pools, contributing to high production capacity across India. Notable examples include the Tharparkar, Gir, Sahiwal, and Rathi breeds in Western India, as well as the Murrah, Mehsana, Surti, Jafrabadi, and Banni buffalo breeds in Western and Northern India. A prominent example is the development of purebred Gir animals in Brazil, which originated from a small cohort of parent stock imported from India and underwent a rigorous selection and culling process over five decades.
What insights can be drawn from studying milk production changes and animal demographics in Maharashtra and Punjab?
Dr. Kandasamy: Maharashtra is a semi-arid region dependent on seasonal rains, while Punjab has adequate irrigation. Crop residue availability significantly impacts milk yield (regardless of breed) and reproduction. Water availability facilitates green fodder cultivation.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Data limitations prevent concluding milk production by cows, crossbred cows, and buffaloes in these states. Individual estimates for each category are unavailable.
Dairy expert: Both states show an increase in the crossbred population and a decrease in indigenous breeds. The average milk yield from crossbred cows is higher than the national average due to selection and a larger number of animals in milk.
How can genetic biodiversity be ensured within purebred populations?
Dr. Kandasamy: Avoiding mating among closely related animals and utilizing outcrossing with new sources from the same breed whenever available are recommended practices.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Farmers traditionally use bulls of the same breed for natural service, changing them every two years. This practice helps maintain some level of genetic diversity.
Should India continue semen and bull import, or should we focus on progeny testing and Embryo Transfer (ET) for bull production?
Dr. Kandasamy: Sufficient numbers of Jersey and Holstein bulls and semen have already been imported. Repeated imports are unnecessary and drain foreign exchange. India’s existing crossbred population can be the foundation for performance recording, progeny testing, and sire selection. We have an adequate gene pool to move forward.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: The import of frozen semen, embryos, and bulls of specific breeds should be considered on a case-by-case basis, requiring thorough academic evaluation, assessment of farmer needs and acceptance, and a focus on maintaining biodiversity. However, the primary source of semen should be progeny-tested semen from high-pedigreed bulls, born to high-yielding parents within the region or country. While embryo transfer is an effective but costly method for obtaining a large number of embryos quickly from specific parents, it does not influence the selection of bulls for breeding programs.
Dairy expert: India should stop importing semen and bulls, and instead focus on developing bulls through progeny testing and Embryo Transfer technology.
What is the progress in developing indigenous breeds like Rathi, Kankrej, Tharparkar, and Hariana through milk recording and pedigree selection?
Dr. Kandasamy: Milk recording and reproduction recording are crucial starting points for genetic improvement programs. However, pedigree selection alone has limited value and is not widely practiced in advanced dairy countries.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Milk recording for all bovines, especially future parent stock, should be mandatory. These animals need to be identified for breeding purposes, with their calves becoming replacement breeding stock, particularly females.
Dairy expert: Milk recording for these breeds is on the right track.
Is the current progeny testing project for Jersey and Holstein crossbreds a sound breeding policy, or should farmers focus on pure breeds?
Dr. Kandasamy: Progeny testing programs for crossbreds are a sound approach. Shifting entirely to exotic purebreds like Holstein Friesian would be detrimental. Farmers should be advised accordingly.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Progeny testing is a later stage in the breeding process. The initial focus should be on segregating the “elite” stock of Indian breeds for breeding purposes, separate from animals raised solely for milk production.
Dairy expert: Progeny testing for Jersey and Holstein crossbreds can be continued.
What should be the objectives and target breeds for ET projects currently subsidized in some states?
Dr. Kandasamy: ET is for multiplying genetically superior females. However, without milk recording data for at least three lactations (and that of contemporaries) for proper identification, selecting cows based solely on absolute yields is not scientifically sound. The top 5% of cows based on herd average are typically selected. Therefore, ET plays a minimal role in the genetic improvement of crossbred and indigenous cattle under field conditions. However, it can be used in institutional herds to produce sires for progeny testing based on nominated service.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: ET, as currently practiced, has minimal impact on milk production due to the low number of calves involved and the uncertain quality of calves born. Additionally, the high cost of ET, coupled with the additional dry days for the donor animal, makes it economically unattractive for farmers. Furthermore, high calf mortality rates make ET an unviable option.
Dairy expert: The objective of ET should be to produce bulls for semen production, particularly in indigenous breeds.
What are the views on using sex-sorted semen and gene editing?
Dr. Kandasamy: Sex-sorted semen has a success rate of around 95%, which is acceptable. However, under field conditions, a 30% conception rate with sex-sorted semen is not achievable. This rate is only attainable when inseminating heifers or first-calvers with no history of reproductive disorders. Furthermore, sex-sorted semen is expensive and not affordable for most farmers.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: Using sex-sorted semen on Indian cows and buffaloes would reduce biodiversity and violate the biodiversity convention that India has signed. Additionally, the semen quality is questionable. Strict monitoring and regulation of semen production are essential, with every frozen straw traced back to the inseminated cow/buffalo. The bulls used for semen production must come from the top 1% of elite mothers. Without proper identification of these mothers, using sex-sorted semen is futile for enhancing milk production.
Dairy expert: The use of sex-sorted semen needs further discussion with experts from various fields, including academics, farmers, geneticists, policymakers, and NGOs.
How can molecular markers be applied to select parent stock in cows?
Dr. Kandasamy: Molecular markers have limited use under Indian field conditions. Milk yield, milk composition, growth, and reproduction are all controlled by multiple genes with small effects. Identifying these genes may not translate to practical benefits. Furthermore, genetic variations exist between European (Bos taurus) and Indian Zebu (Bos indicus) cattle, making markers identified in European cattle inapplicable to Zebu cattle. The situation becomes even more complex in crossbred populations. Gene expression is also influenced by environmental factors. Therefore, a cow with high milk production under specific conditions may not perform as well under different circumstances.
Dr. Rajeshwaran: This technology can be explored, but cost and practicality need to be considered. As mentioned earlier, the primary focus should be on identifying elite parent stock, particularly the bull and female calves born to these mothers.
Final Thoughts
Complexities abound in breeding for higher milk yield, but a focus on indigenous breeds, progeny testing, and strategic use of new technology, along with open communication, can pave the way for a sustainable future for India’s dairy industry.
