Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, is all set to use the stray cows as surrogate mothers to produce high-yield varieties of calves.
The animal-sciences university is establishing its own cow shed (gaushala) where stray cows fit to give birth will be used to reproduce high-yield varieties of calf through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET).
GADVASU vice-chancellor (VC) Dr Inderjeet Singh said the gaushala is being established for research, demonstration and training purposes.
He said the university was making an effort to lower number of stray cattle left abandoned on highways.
The census count conducted last year found that there were 1.4 lakh stray cattle in the state.
Sachin Sharma, chairman of state Gau Sewa Commission, issued a notice to all deputy commissioners of the state on Tuesday highlighting the problem of stray cattle on highways.
“It has been observed that during the lockdown and post lockdown, some gaushalas have run out of funds and abandoned cattle. The deputy commissioner, who is defecto president of cow pond, has been asked to provide shelter to cattle so that precious lives of both commuters and cows can be saved,” Sharma said.
EMBRYOS TRANSFER PROJECT
{{/usCountry}}EMBRYOS TRANSFER PROJECT
{{/usCountry}}The varsity was the first in the country to carry out such an experiment successfully in 2017 when embryos of indigenous cows were transferred to exotic Holstein Friesian (HF) breed of cows and they became surrogate mothers to pure Sahiwal calves.
The newborn calves had no traits of HF and were born in brown colour of Sahiwal.
EXAMINATION OF PG COURSES FROM AUGUST 20
The V-C said that examinations of final semester students of postgraduate courses will be conducted from August 20, while the process of admission will be decided during the academic counsel meeting on August 5.