In news- Recently, India’s first Banni buffalo calf was born through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) technology in Gujarat.
IVF technology on Banni Buffalo –
- IVF process was carried out to enhance the number of genetically superior buffaloes to increase milk production.
- This first IVF ‘Banni’ calf is born out of six ‘Banni’ IVF pregnancies established at the doorsteps of a farmer, Vinay L Wala of Sushila Agro farms, located at Dhanej in Somnath district of Gujarat.
- IVF Banni follows the birth of India’s first batch of ‘Murrah’ breed of buffalo that underwent IVF at a farm near Pune in 2020.
About Banni buffalo-
- “Banni” breed of buffaloes is found primarily in Gujarat’s Kutch region.
- It is also known as “Kutchi” or “Kundi”.
- The breed originates from the Sind region in Pakistan.
- The word ‘Banni’ is specific to not only the buffaloes but also to the pasture grass species which are native to this region.
- It is known for its resilience and higher milk producing capacity in an arid environment.
- An average Banni buffalo yields around 12 to 18 litres of milk each day.
- Unlike common breeds of India such as ‘Murrah’ or ‘Jaffarabadi’, the ‘Banni’ breed is considered climate resilient.
- It has a different genetic makeup as compared to more common breeds, which allows for longer lactation periods, higher milk production potentials and also makes it disease resistant.
- This buffalo was recognised as the 11th buffalo breed in India by the Indian Breed Registration Committee, ICAR, New Delhi, in the year 2010.
- This breed of buffaloes is usually bred and preserved by a local community found in Kutch, called the ‘Maldharis’.
- Maldhari is a Gujarati word for pastoralists and literally translates to cattle breeders.
About IVF technology-
- It’s one of the more widely known types of assisted reproductive technology (ART).
- IVF works by using a combination of medicines and surgical procedures to help sperm fertilize an egg, and help the fertilized egg implant in the uterus.
Source: PIB
