Gujarat is strengthening its dairy development strategy through advanced reproductive technology, with the Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre (BBBRC) in Banaskantha district targeting the production of 25,000 cattle and buffalo embryos annually. The facility aims to improve milk productivity per animal by expanding access to superior livestock genetics and helping dairy farmers breed higher-performing animals.
Spread across 127 acres at Bhildi, the centre is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 30, 2026. The project has received technical support from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), while the central government has sanctioned ₹38.83 crore under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
The initiative seeks to strengthen the genetic foundation of India’s dairy sector, potentially improving milk yields, breeding efficiency and farm-level economics without requiring a proportionate increase in livestock numbers.
Advanced Reproductive Technology to Multiply Superior Genetics
The BBBRC will use Ovum Pick-Up, In Vitro Embryo Production and Embryo Transfer (OPU-IVEP-ET) to multiply the offspring of genetically superior donor animals.
Under this process, eggs are collected from selected cows and matured in a laboratory before being fertilised using semen from high-quality bulls. The resulting embryos are preserved through vitrification, a rapid-freezing technique, until they are ready for transfer into suitable recipient cows or buffaloes.
The embryos can subsequently be transported to villages and transferred into healthy recipient animals, extending the benefits of advanced breeding beyond the central facility.
Traditional breeding generally results in approximately one calf per cow annually. Through embryo production and transfer, a single elite donor animal can contribute genetically to the production of 10–20 calves in a year, subject to reproductive performance and the availability of suitable recipient animals.
This approach allows desirable genetic traits to spread more rapidly through the dairy population than conventional breeding alone.
Indigenous Breeds and High-Yielding Cattle in Focus
The centre plans to produce embryos from several indigenous cattle breeds, including Kankrej, Gir, Punganur, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Rathi, Tharparkar and Ongole. Buffalo breeds such as Mehsani, Banni, Murrah and Jafarabadi will also be included, alongside high-yielding Holstein-Friesian cattle, HF crosses and Jersey cattle.
This broad breeding programme could support different dairy production systems across India. Indigenous breeds can be valuable in breeding strategies focused on adaptation to local climatic conditions, while selected high-yielding cattle and buffaloes can contribute to milk production objectives where feeding, veterinary care and management systems are suitable.
Banaskantha provides a substantial livestock base for the initiative. The district has approximately 28 lakh animals, comprising around four lakh Kankrej cows, 14 lakh buffaloes and 10 lakh crossbred Holstein-Friesian cows, according to the reported figures.
The centre aims to build on the region’s established dairy production capabilities by improving genetic quality and milk productivity per animal.
Subsidies Aim to Improve Farmer Access
To encourage adoption, the initial price of an embryo will be ₹1,000. Following confirmation of pregnancy, the remaining cost will be covered through subsidies jointly provided by the Gujarat government, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) and Banas Dairy.
The proposed pricing and subsidy structure is intended to reduce the initial financial barrier for dairy farmers interested in improving their herds through advanced breeding technology.
The centre will also supply disease-free bulls carrying superior genetic traits, supporting complementary breeding approaches for farmers who do not use embryo transfer.
The long-term objective is to improve the quality of livestock across the Banaskantha milk-shed, increasing output per animal while helping farmers manage the costs associated with maintaining their herds.
Breedpreneur Club Extends the Programme to Villages
The BBBRC’s Bovine Breedpreneur Club is another component of the initiative. The programme currently includes 316 breedpreneurs who rear and breed high-quality animals under agreements with the centre.
Participating farmers must maintain records covering birth dates, lineage, growth, daily milk production and health status. Their animals must also undergo annual health screenings.
Under the arrangements, the centre receives first preference to purchase calves, embryos and bulls born on participating farms, while farmers can sell other animals through the open market.
These farms are intended to function as local breeding centres, helping distribute improved genetics across rural dairy communities and creating additional opportunities for livestock breeders.
Productivity Gains Will Depend on Effective Implementation
The BBBRC combines government funding, NDDB technical support and cooperative participation to strengthen India’s dairy breeding infrastructure. Its approach aligns with the broader Sahkar Se Samruddhi vision of promoting rural development through cooperation.
For the dairy industry, the potential benefits include faster genetic improvement, higher milk yields and more efficient use of feed and farm resources. However, achieving these outcomes will depend on careful breed selection, reproductive success, disease control, nutrition and appropriate farm management.
The initiative represents a significant investment in livestock genetics. If its technology and farmer-participation model prove effective, it could provide a framework for extending advanced breeding services to other dairy-producing regions and strengthening the productivity of India’s dairy sector.
