There is an urgent need to improve indigenous bovine breeds if milk yields are to rise, Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Balyan said here on Monday.

Despite being the largest milk producer in the world, yield from milch animals in India is 1,012 kg/year, considerably lower than the global average of 2,200 kg/year. “Indigenous breeds, being resistant to diseases and our tropical weather, have huge potential in terms of benefiting the farming community and will lead to higher incomes,” said Balyan at an Indian Council of Agricultural Research event here on strategies to improve milk productivity in indigenous cattle.

The Minister was confident that the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, a nation-wide scheme launched by the Government in July with ₹150 crore earmarked for the current financial year, would improve indigenous cattle.

“The Mission will develop indigenous breeds in a scientific manner and facilities will be set up for high-genetic potential breeds,” said Balyan.

Panel experts were optimistic despite several limitations existing in the Indian cattle scenario.

“There is non-availability of good germplasm, limited recording of performance data, a shortage of green and dry fodder and low access to veterinary care. However, India’s dairy sector has constantly grown despite low investment and we have the largest and most diverse bovine population in the world,” said Arjava Sharma, Director, National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.

“It must provide financial subsistence for feeding, breeding and bovine healthcare. In terms of breeding, non-descript breeds can be graded up with high genetic merit indigenous breeds such as Sahiwal, Tharpakar and Red Sindhi,” he said.

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