Global livestock reproduction and semen sex sorting technology innovator Sexing Technologies® (ST) is partnering with prominent Indian NGO, BAIF Development Research Foundation to produce and provide sex sorted semen from indigenous breeds of cattle and buffaloes to India’s rural dairy farmers as a means of improving their productivity.
Representatives from Sexing Technologies®(ST) and BAIF observed India’s 70th
anniversary of its independence on August 15 by announcing that they will
collaborate to introduce sex sorting technology to India. The partnership between
ST and BAIF seeks to greatly increase farmers’ chances of producing heifer calves by
artificially inseminating their cows with sex-sorted semen.
“It is an important milestone for ST to enter this new market. India is the world’s
largest milk producing country, with a fast-growing demand for milk and milk
products, and where ST’s technology can have significant impact on improving
genetics and enhancing milk production” said ST CEO Juan Moreno “We believe our
partnership with BAIF will help transform the livelihood of many dairy farmers in
India and make this a very gratifying venture for us.”
BAIF was established in 1967 by Dr. Manibhai Desai, a disciple of Mahatma
Gandhi, to promote sustainable livelihoods in rural India through improved
agriculture practices, livestock development and other related activities. BAIF is
already producing more than 10 million doses of conventional semen from superior
indigenous breeds and cross-bred cattle and buffaloes. The organization is also
providing more than 4 million artificial inseminations (AI) to farmers annually and
is expanding its semen production capacity.
milking potential through this heifer calf, which was conceived using sex-sorted
semen from U.S. based Sexing Technologies®. Photo Courtesy BAIF
“We are so pleased and proud about the initiative to introduce sexed semen,
which is precious and fundamental for improving the milk production especially in
the rural villages” said Girish Sohani, President and Managing Trustee of BAIF. “It is
even more Historic because the collaboration started on India’s Independence Day
and during the Golden Jubilee Year of BAIF”.
ST and BAIF, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have been
working together for the past three years to introduce sex-sorted semen from the
U.S. to India’s rural dairy farmers. More than 7,500 farmers in different States of
India have used sex-sorted semen, achieving an average conception rate of more
than 44 percent, and with 21 females out of 22 calves born so far.
“The latest semen sorting technology SexedULTRATM’, invented and improved by
ST, is already proven all over the world with consistent results in providing greater
than 90 percent female calves with an average conception rate more than 90
percent of that of conventional semen under similar conditions. The technology is
also proven for sex sorting semen from Indigenous breeds of cattle (in Brazil) and
buffaloes (in Italy) with results similar to that of exotic breeds of cattle, which has
immense value in India”, said Dr. Prakash Kalarickal, ST’s Vice President of Business
Development for Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa. “Apart from producing
greater than 90 percent female calves, use of sexed semen will also help accelerate
genetic progress and reduce wastage of animals and genetics through male calves.
Sorted semen has the added benefits of improving cow comfort and animal welfare.
Cows suffer fewer birthing and post calving complications when delivering heifer
calves, which reduces a farmer’s potential for economic losses.
ST began sorting semen commercially in 2004 at its headquarters facility in
Navasota, Texas. The company now has nine sorting labs across the U.S. and 11
sorting facilities in 10 different countries such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China,
France (2 labs), Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
Over the past 13 years ST has produced more than 50 million straws of sexed semen
from dairy breeds including Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss, and more than 1
million straws of sex semen from India’s indigenous (Bos Indicus) breeds like Gir,
Sahiwal, Guzera (Kankrej), Red Sindhi, Nelore, and Brahman, and from Buffaloes.
ST has dedicated significant financial and manpower resources to research and
development that led to its technology, SexedULTRATM, and its flagship product,
SexedULTRA 4MTM , with conception rates comparable to conventional semen.