Fifty goats of the Salem Black breed at the Mecheri Sheep Research Station attached to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University (TANUVAS) were artificially inseminated with semen straws of Shami goat bucks from Cyprus recently.
“It is aimed at increasing the weight and milk production of the goat variety here”, M. Babu, Director of the varsity, Centre for Animal Production Studies, said.
Positive outcomeHe told The Hindu that the project would benefit farmers rearing this predominant goat variety – which is much sought after for meat – in Tamil Nadu, by helping them reap high returns. However, the varsity has recommended ryots not to attempt cross breed insemination trials till they get a positive outcome.
“A new born Salem Black goat weighs 2 kg to 2.4 kg. An adult Salem Black goat weighs a maximum of 30 kg. to 40 kg and yields just 200- 250 ml milk a day.
But, the breed is generally slaughtered when it is 10-month-old (weighing 16 kg to 18 kg) as the meat is tender at this stage”, the Director said.
Dr. Babu said that Shami goat has superior characteristics such as new born weighing about 4.2 kg, around 30 kg to 34 kg when it is four months old and 80 kg to 100 kg as an adult. It also yields 5 litres to 6 litres milk everyday. As a result of the project, we expect off springs to have a birth weight of 3 kg. to 3.25 kg and a fully grown goat to weigh about 60 kg and yield 2.5 litres to 3 litres milk a day”, he said.
“TANUVAS has imported 150 straws of Shami goat semen. Each straw with 0.25 ml semen has 10 million to 15 million sperms costs Rs. 2,500.
In addition to Salem Black the varsity has inseminated two local varieties of bucks – 50 bucks in each variety – in their Madhavaram (Chennai) and Kattupakkam (Kancheepuram) research station with Shami goat semen”, he added.
“After gestation for five month the bucks will deliver kids. We should weight for 18 months for the progeny of the off springs to be born to test the successful outcome of the project”, the TANUVAS Director said.
