Buck Mother Farm
& Buck Semen Station
Conserving the Black Bengal Goat. Empowering Rural Livelihoods. Securing India's Indigenous Germplasm.
West Bengal — The Breeding Tract of Black Bengal Goat
West Bengal is the main breeding tract of the Black Bengal Goat. The State Goat Breeding Policy has been taken up for the conservation and breeding of the pure-breed Black Bengal Goat. In view of this mandate, Paschim Banga Go-Sampad Bikash Sanstha (PBGSBS) has commissioned three flagship projects spanning a single nucleus farm and two specialised semen stations — collectively forming the State's apex infrastructure for indigenous goat genetic resource management.
This integrated initiative leverages modern reproductive biotechnology — including Artificial Insemination (AI), genomic selection of buck mothers, and frozen semen production — to mitigate in-breeding, distribute superior germplasm to rural households, and elevate the productivity of small-ruminant farming across all blocks of West Bengal.
Programme Architecture
Buck Mother Farm, Kotulpur — the nucleus farm housing 400 elite Black Bengal Goats serving as the source of pure germplasm.
Buck Semen Station, Kotulpur — established under the National Livestock Mission with a capacity of 200 bucks.
Buck Semen Station, Haringhata — the second station under RIDF-XXIX with a capacity of 120 bucks.
Five Strategic Objectives Driving the Initiative
From large-scale frozen semen production to research and farmer training, these objectives define the scope of PBGSBS's Black Bengal Goat conservation programme.
FSS Production & Field-Level AI
Production of Black Bengal Frozen Semen Straws (FSS) and their use for Artificial Insemination (AI) at the field level, covering all blocks of West Bengal. Sophisticated AI technology deployed in rural areas mitigates in-breeding among Black Bengal Goats and accelerates dissemination of superior genetics.
Pure Germplasm Maintenance
Maintaining pure germplasm for production of superior quality / "elite" bucks of the Black Bengal breed — the foundation stock for frozen semen production and subsequent dissemination through field-level AI.
Genomic-Marker Based Selection
Standardisation of the process for genetic selection based on genetic marker-based identification of true Black Bengal Goats — integrating molecular tools with traditional pedigree-based selection.
Research & Fodder Management
Research and training on the improvement of rural goat rearing and fodder production management, addressing nutrition, productivity, and farm-economy constraints faced by smallholders.
Hands-On Training on Scientific Goat Rearing
Structured hands-on training programmes on scientific goat rearing, open to farmers, field veterinarians, and extension officers — bridging the gap between research outputs and on-farm practice across rural West Bengal.
Integrated Nucleus Farm & Semen Stations
Buck Mother Farm, Kotulpur, Bankura
The Buck Mother Farm at Kotulpur has a capacity of 400 pure-breed Black Bengal Goats — approximately 200 bucks and 200 does. These pure-breed Buck Mothers, selected through genomic selection, serve as the source for production of Buck Frozen Semen doses at two Buck Semen Stations.
The farm is supported by more than 100 bighas of fodder land. Various types of green fodder are produced throughout the year in the farm complex for the resident goats, ensuring year-round nutritional security.
Buck Semen Station, Kotulpur, Bankura
This project has been taken up under the RIDF-XXIX with a capacity of 200 Black Bengal bucks. The station is currently in the process of standardisation with a targeted production of three lakh doses of Black Bengal Goat Frozen Semen per annum.
Buck Semen Station, Haringhata, Nadia
To meet the demand towards self-sufficiency in Black Bengal frozen semen, a second station has been taken up under National Livestock Mission with the capacity of 120 Black Bengal bucks and a yearly targeted production of 1.8 lakh doses.
Following recent completion of infrastructural development and installation of instruments, the station is about to commence standardisation. The farm is supported with 50 bighas of dedicated fodder land.
Research Frontiers & Conservation Roadmap
Beyond frozen semen production, PBGSBS envisages a research-led extension of the Black Bengal Goat programme into value-addition, advanced reproductive biotechnology, and indigenous germplasm preservation.
Value Addition from Goat Origin
Research on value addition of different products of goat origin — including milk, skin, and allied derivatives — to expand farm-economy outcomes for smallholder rearers.
IVF & Embryo Transfer
Process standardisation of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Embryo Transfer Technology (ET) for the Black Bengal Goat — bringing assisted reproductive technologies to indigenous small ruminants.
Germplasm Cryopreservation
Preservation of pure, elite, disease-free indigenous germplasm of the Black Bengal Goat — and other threatened species of small ruminants — via cryopreservation of frozen embryos.
Glimpses of BMF & BSS, Kotulpur | BSS, Haringhata
Photographs from the Buck Mother Farm and Buck Semen Stations. Click any image to enlarge.
Securing the Future of the Black Bengal Goat
The Black Bengal Goat is one of West Bengal's most prized indigenous animal genetic resources — a breed renowned for prolificacy, hardiness, and high-quality skin and meat. Through the integrated Buck Mother Farm and Buck Semen Stations, PBGSBS is building the scientific and infrastructural foundation to conserve, multiply, and disseminate elite Black Bengal genetics across the State.
From genomic selection of nucleus buck mothers to frozen semen production at scale; from rural artificial insemination delivery to research on IVF, embryo transfer, and cryopreservation — this programme represents West Bengal's commitment to scientific livestock improvement in service of millions of smallholder farmers.
