Sexed semen technology to control stray bulls in Haryana

Sexed semen technology is the new — and advanced — know-how, the Khattar-led Haryana BJP government will use to achieve twin targets — contain stray bull population and increase milk production.

Under this technology, which the government on Friday proposed to adopt, about 90% of cow calves born will be female.

“Thus, it will solve the problem of stray bulls and simultaneously ensure increased availability of female cattle for milk production,” finance minister Capt Abhimanyu, who on Friday presented the 2018-19 budget proposals in the 90-member Vidhan Sabha, said.

“The government has proposed to adopt sexed semen technology on massive scale in 2018-19 to tackle the problem of stray bulls as well as increasing milk production by increasing the number of female cattle,” Capt Abhimanyu said.

In Haryana, the per capita per day milk availability is 878 grams as compared to the national average of 329 grams, according to the budget document.

Though, it is the stray cattle menace that remains a challenge before the government. The cows and bulls roam freely, disrupting free flow of traffic and causing fatal accidents every day. Besides bulls, the farmers and dairy owners abandon cows after they stop giving milk.

The focus of the government has been on opening more gaushalas and nandishalas across the state. A day before the Haryana Assembly session began on March 5, chief minister had said the government will soon enact a law to punish people who abandon their milch cows.

The state government has already enacted the ‘Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan’ Act for the protection of cows.

The government has tagged cattle in the gaushalas, while tagging of cattle kept in houses will also be carried out so that these are not abandoned.

After assuming power in October 2014, the Haryana BJP government has taken a slew of steps to protect cows, including a ban on beef and cow slaughter in the state.