Govt aims 100 million artificial insemination this fiscal

To increase milk output to 300 million tonnes by 2023-24, the government today fixed a state-wise target to achieve 100 million artificial insemination this fiscal.
The Agriculture Ministry is promoting 'artificial insemination' under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM).
Artificial insemination (AI) helps improving productivity of bovines by upgrading their genetic potential thereby enhancing the milk production and productivity in the country.
In a statement, the ministry said that the state-wise target of 100 million artificial insemination has been fixed for 2017-18 fiscal in view of slow progress made so far.
Maximum AI target has been fixed for Uttar Pradesh at 119.20 lakh, followed by Tamil Nadu at 109 lakh, Karnataka at 103 lakh and Gujarat (100 lakh). Other states will have less than 100 lakh AI target.

"Though the breeding infra structure has been strengthened substantially for the delivery of breeding inputs at farmers' doorstep under these schemes, the AI coverage is still 26 per cent of the breedable population," it said.

During 2015-16, 1.92 AI per day were done as against the required average of 4 per day, while it was found wastage of high quality semen.
"This poor situation is further aggravated by usage of indigenous bull semen being merely 11 per cent of total AI coverage," it said.
The government wants to increase milk production to 300 million tonnes by 2023-24 from the current level of 163.56 million tonnes by focusing on improving the productivity of 40.77 breedable indigenous non-descript cows from 2.15 kilo per day to 5 kilo per day.

As per the 2012 census, the country has a bovine population of 300 million, out of which cattle population comprises of 190 million.
In cattle population, 80 per cent are indegenous and non- descript breeds and the rest are exotic/crossbreeds.