Breeding policy of State government

1. Upgradation with improved indigenous breed will be allowed only for non-descript animals in the State.
2. Having regard to the availability of improved indigenous breed, Sahiwal and Gir breeds will be used for upgradation.
3. Sahiwal breed will be used in the district of Darjeeling, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and Hooghly.
4. Gir breed will be used in North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Birbhum, Purulia, Bankura, Bardhaman and Howrah.
5. Upgradation will normally be zone-specific. In a particular zone, only one of the above-stated improved indigenous breeds will normally be used for upgrading. However, the choice of farmer will be given due regard in allowing him/her to use either of the two descript breeds for upgradation in any of the zones as stated above.
6. Upgradation and cross-breeding will be 80% and 20% respectively of the total cattle population.
7. Cross-breeding will be done by West Bengal Milk Producers' Union Ltd. N.G.O.s and Progressive farmers where adequate feed/fodder resources are available, in addition to those being catered to in Government Animal Health Centres by agencies recognized by State Government.
8. For the purpose of Cross-breeding, only Jersey will be used for its smaller size and greater adaptability to the agro-climatic environment of West Bengal.
9. Crossing of existing cross-breeds may be taken up in a controlled manner so that exotic inheritance shall not be increased beyond 50% in any case.
10. Holstein Friesian, pure or its cross semen, may be made available by the Paschim Banga Go-Sampad Bikash Sanstha (PBGSBS) to those farmers who are interested in rearing Holstein cross-breed against proper indent.
11. PBGSBS will provide pure semen of Jersey, Sahiwal and Gir and also cross semen of Jersey as per area recommended to the farmers in general.
12. PBGSBS will procure Holstein Friesian semen from other states and it may charge additional cost for its procurement.

The improvement of the buffaloes will be brought about by grading up with high quality Murrah Buffalo semen in all districts of the state.

1. Animal Recording and Productivity Evaluation:

   It is important that animal recording and productivity evaluation by done through the formulation of definitions & standards for the measurement of traits of economic importance. It is also important to identify each and every breedable animal, the registration of their parentage and create a data-base on their breeding and production performance. As a strategy, each animal artificially inseminated be identified by fixing an ear-tag. As far as practicable, the owner recording system should be carried our under the proper guidance of Veterinary Officers.

2. Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT):

   To ensure continuous supply of elite and pedigreed germ-plasm, creation of ETT Centre should be receive priority. Frozen Embryo (FE) has much greater potential in the augmentation of milk production than that of frozen semen (FS) and is, thus, beneficial to the farmers. Efforts should be made for making a transition from FS to FE as quickly as possible.

3. Progeny testing programme:

   Efforts should be made to select bulls through progeny testing programme.

4. Management of Frozen Semen Bull Station (FSBS)

   1. FSBS will be managed by officers having specialized skills and knowledge.
   2. It will maintain bulls that are obtained from agencies carrying out genetic improvement programmes.
   3. It will follow the minimum standard laid down by GOI.
   4. It will ensure that all bulls are free from diseases as per OIE (Office of International Epizoodis) guidelines.
   5. It will maintain high standards of quality for the production of semen doses.
   6. It will make serious efforts to introduce a semen certification scheme for ensuring administration of only certified semen for field A.I. programme.
   7. Professional breeding organizations should be encouraged to provide high quality breeding and advisory services to farmers at the doorsteps.
   8. It will ensure strict compliance of State breeding policy.

5. Bull Production:

   1. For production of bulls, an exotic Bull Mother Farm will have to be maintained.
   2. For production of cross-bred bulls through selective mating, an elite herd of cross-bred cattle will also have to be maintained.
   3. For production of male stock for breeding, an elite herd of indigenous cattle of pure breeds will also required to be maintained.
   4. Creation of ETT Centre should receive priority.
   5. Pending full-fledged operation of ETT Centres, the existing semen banks of the State must be upgraded and cold chain strengthened for effective implementation of the breeding programme.
   6. Skill enhancement of the officers involved in the programme, together with modernization of tools and equipments should be taken care of by the PBGSBS in consultation with the Department.

6. Karyotyping:

   Both Haringhata and Salboni FSBS have karyotyping facilities. Such facilities have to be developed in detecting chromosomal abnormalities so that quality chromosomes of males and females are used for A.I./breeding purpose.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation:

   A mechanism for periodical monitoring and evaluation will have to be developed so that any mid-term correction, if required, may be taken up. the findings of evaluation should be published on half-yearly basis. PBGSBS will develop this mechanism in consultation with the Department.

   Sd/- Illegible
   OSD & E.O. Deputy Secretary to the
   Government of West Bengal