Gaushala Semen Conservation
Semen Banking and Gaushalas: An important partners for ex situ conservation of cattle biodiversity
Rajeev A.K Aggarwal1, P.K.Viz1, M.S.Tantia1, B.K.Joshi2
National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
The indigenous cattle breeds and their diversity have evolved over a long period of time and developed as milch, draught or dual purpose breeds. Many of these breeds in spite of their satisfactory performance in low input system are fast depleting due to their economical non-viability, hence there is an urgent need of preserving this rich indigenous genetic resources biodiversity which is genetic insurance for sustainable development in future. Artificial insemination and semen freezing is well established technology, which is being used successfully in cattle propagation and breed improvement programme, and can simultaneously be utilized to conserve the cattle biodiversity by storing frozen semen for posterity. Such conservation programme involves long term storage of germplasm in semen bank and its replenishment through utilization and exchange. The Gaushalas are playing significant role socially and culturally for protecting cattle wealth of our country, therefore they have potential of becoming an important and meaningful partner in both in in situ and ex situ conservation programme.
Cattle Wealth of India
India has a rich reservoir of genetic diversity and possesses some of the well known breeds of cattle. There are 30 well defined breeds of cattle in India apart from several other undefined populations. Recognized breeds represent about 20% of the total
1 Principal Scientists, 2 Director, NBAGR, Karnal cattle population, which are classified into milch, draft and dual purpose breeds. These breeds of cattle are the result of thousands of years of selection, evolution and development in the process of domestication suitable to the local agro climatic conditions. Milch breeds like Sahiwal, Red Sindhi,
Rajeev A.K Aggarwal1, P.K.Viz1, M.S.Tantia1, B.K.Joshi2
National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
The indigenous cattle breeds and their diversity have evolved over a long period of time and developed as milch, draught or dual purpose breeds. Many of these breeds in spite of their satisfactory performance in low input system are fast depleting due to their economical non-viability, hence there is an urgent need of preserving this rich indigenous genetic resources biodiversity which is genetic insurance for sustainable development in future. Artificial insemination and semen freezing is well established technology, which is being used successfully in cattle propagation and breed improvement programme, and can simultaneously be utilized to conserve the cattle biodiversity by storing frozen semen for posterity. Such conservation programme involves long term storage of germplasm in semen bank and its replenishment through utilization and exchange. The Gaushalas are playing significant role socially and culturally for protecting cattle wealth of our country, therefore they have potential of becoming an important and meaningful partner in both in in situ and ex situ conservation programme.
Cattle Wealth of India
India has a rich reservoir of genetic diversity and possesses some of the well known breeds of cattle. There are 30 well defined breeds of cattle in India apart from several other undefined populations. Recognized breeds represent about 20% of the total
1 Principal Scientists, 2 Director, NBAGR, Karnal cattle population, which are classified into milch, draft and dual purpose breeds. These breeds of cattle are the result of thousands of years of selection, evolution and development in the process of domestication suitable to the local agro climatic conditions. Milch breeds like Sahiwal, Red Sindhi,
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