NDDB develops technology for 'sex sorting bovine sperms'

NDDB Dairy Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on Sunday announced its indigenously developed technology for "sex sorting bovine sperms" that will ensure the birth of only female calves.

The results of the field trials conducted by NDDB Dairy Services to ascertain the performance of the product under actual field conditions are encouraging and the first female calf from sex sorted semen dose produced at Alamadhi Semen Station was born in a farm near Chennai in October, 2020, according to a statement by the NDDB Dairy Services.

The current technologies for the sex sorting of bovine sperms are proprietary to a few multi-national companies which makes the cost-prohibitive for the dairy farmers, the company said.

The ability to assure the birth of only female calves provides huge financial advantage to dairy farmers as the economic utility of a male calf is negligible, it added.

NDDB Dairy Services has partnered with Jiva Sciences, a Bengaluru-based R&D organization, for developing the indigenous sex sorting technology.

Dilip Rath, Chairman of NDDB, said that NDDB Dairy Services had taken up the project to develop an indigenous technology for sex sorting bovine sperms a few years back with an objective to significantly bring down the cost of the sex sorted semen doses so that it becomes affordable for the dairy farmers in the country.

Rath said that the new technology would help in achieving the Prime Minister's vision of 'Make in India' programme and the current quest for an Atmanirbhar Bharat where products made in India could be used across the world- 'Local for Global'.

A not for profit Company registered under the Companies Act, NDDB Dairy Services functions as a delivery arm of NDDB for field operations relating to promoting Producer Companies and Productivity Enhancement Services. Thus far, 15 Milk Producer Companies have been set up.

NDDB Dairy Services said that it manages four large semen stations in the country- Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala near Ahmedabad, Animal Breeding Centre near Lucknow, Alamadhi Semen Station near Chennai and Rahuri Semen Station near- Pune.

These semen stations together produce about 35 per cent of the total semen produced in the country, it said.

(ANI)