Jaipur: The animal husbandry department, Tuesday, launched the sex-sorted semen scheme in Rajasthan, aiming to increase the likelihood of female calf births to 90%. The state govt has issued a work order to procure 1 lakh doses of sex-sorted semen, which will be used for artificial insemination to support dairy farmers in maintaining a steady population of high-yielding cows.
Officials said, these doses would likely be produced within the state and will contain semen from diverse cow breeds. Dr. Arvind Sejra, director of animal husbandry department said, “The initiative will begin at the Bassi-based laboratory, where a conventional semen facility already exists. Additionally, Monday, the state govt signed an MoU with National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to manufacture sex-sorted semen doses within the state.
However, the cost of sex-sorted semen remains higher than traditional artificial insemination. , making affordability a key concern for dairy farmers.
Elaborating on the technology, Dr. Sejra, said, “Sex-sorted semen technology enables artificial insemination to selectively produce 90% female offspring. Earlier, traditional artificial insemination resulted in approximately 50% male and 50% female births.”
However, the cost of sex-sorted semen remains higher than traditional artificial insemination, making affordability a key concern for dairy farmers.
Addressing common misconceptions, an official from the animal husbandry department emphasised the long-term benefits. He said “Sex-sorted semen will lead to the birth of improved breed female calves, boosting milk production. It will also help conserve indigenous breeds and tackle the issue of stray bulls. Overall, cattle farmers will significantly benefit from this initiative.”
