Former principal scientist of the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources D.K. Sadana, on Monday, stressed on the significance of such a policy at national-level focussed on conservation of indigenous cattle.
The National Livestock Policy, 2103, and other State-level policies only pay attention to the promotion of HF (Holstein Friesian) and Jersey breeds, as their focus is on milk production alone. However, there is a need to look at cattle not only as dairy source, but also as indigenous animals habituated to their local environments, and contributing to soil and human health, Dr. Sadana said in his keynote address at the workshop on ‘Need for Indigenous Cattle Breeding Policy’.
D. Venkateswarlu, Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, Telangana, noted that the number of pure indigenous cattle was very low, as the Ongole breed had been inseminated by HF/Jersey breeds.
Appreciating Brazil for its conservation of indigenous cattle, Dr. Sadana assured that the Telangana government would initiate a tie-up with the Brazilian organisations for cattle conservation, and make attempts to register the native breed of ‘Thoorpu’ bull from Mahabubnagar district.
Jose Otavio Lemos, an expert from Brazil, made a presentation on the conservation of bulls, and said it is high time that India had taken up cattle conservation seriously, by maintaining documentation of the parentage and characteristics across the generations. Without this, even the best of the conservation efforts would remain futile, he said.
He showed the photographs of individual Ongole bulls bred in Brazil, which had earned sale value running into crores of rupees.
The workshop consisted of policy dialogue sessions on three themes, namely, cattle diversity for sustainable agriculture, economic models and avenues, and technology and research.
It was jointly organised by the NGO ‘Ankush’, and the Department of Animal Husbandry, Andhra Pradesh.
Later in the day, hosting a luncheon for the delegates of different countries who arrived for participation in the ‘Bull Show’, Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, expressed desire for sustained cooperation between India and Brazil for improved results in dairy and animal husbandry.
He sought the semen of ‘Zebu’ bull from Brazil for breeding of high quality cattle here.
