Chhattisgarh govt launches IVF technology to boost milk production

The Chhattisgarh Government has launched an in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) centre for boosting milk production in the state.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who yesterday inaugurated an IVF centre for boosting milk production, has said that the government would spread the use of this technology across the state so that people can avail benefits from it.

Singh launched JK Bova Genix in Gopalnagar village of Jajgir-Champa district that will focus on producing IVF embryos on a large scale from indigenous cattle breeds.

Speaking to media after the launch, the Chief Minister lauded JK Trust - an NGO which has been working towards improvement of cattle and buffaloes breed - and said the use of IVF technology will bring about a change in Chhattisgarh.

"JK trust is doing an amazing job for Chhattisgarh and the nation. They are producing good breed of cattle using IVF technology. Even local breeds can give more milk. This can bring about a change in Chhattisgarh. We can experiment on local varieties of cows," he said.

"The IVF is an expensive technology; it is just like test tube babies. Both embryo and sperm are kept in nitrogen to preserve it for over 100 years," he added.

Singh further said that his government would like to involve veterinary colleges and universities in this initiative so that it can be taken to all districts of the state.

"They have also started a mobile unit. We would like to spread it across Chhattisgarh. We would like to involve even veterinary colleges and universities in it. We are looking forward to signing an MoU so that we take it to all the districts of the state," he said.

The embryos have been created using the ova from donor mother's ovary of indigenous cow breeds like Gir and then combined with male semen of the same breed. The embryos created in lab are later transplanted into surrogate cows to produce high pedigree cattle.

Artificial insemination technique is one of the assisted reproductive technologies that the Centre is promoting to conserve indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds.