Centre to import Gir bull semen from Brazil: Breeders

Rajkot: The Gir Kankrej Gopalak Sangh , an association of Gir cow breeders in Saurashtra region, on Friday said that the central government had rejected their demand not to import Gir cow semen from Brazil. The centre now plans to import over one lakh units of frozen semen of Gir bulls from the South American nation over next few months, chairman of the association Ghanshyam Vyas , told media persons here.

According to the Gir Kankrej Gopalak Sangh the decision to import semen was taken by union minister of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy Giriraj Singh last month. The import has been planned as scientists in Brazil have genetically modified the Gir cow breed to increase its milk yield. The central government plans to use the semen from Brazil to increase milk year in Gir cows here.

The Gir cow breeders have opposed the centre’s move and warned of consequences. They have also approached Gujarat chief minister to urge union government to withdraw the decision.

Two years ago, Centre had planned to import frozen Gir bull semen from Brazil before but had dropped it following protest from breeders citing genetic erosion of indigenous breeds.

In 2017, the Centre revived the plan and decided to import 20,000 units of frozen semen and embryos of Gir bull and cow from Brazil that have descendants of the pure breed that were gifted before independence by Maharaja of Bhavnagar to the south American nation as a goodwill gesture. Now, the centre is mulling to import nearly one lakh units of semen from Brazil.

“We have come to know that central government is planning to import one lakh units of Gir bull semen from Brazil in next one and half month. This it will spoil our indigenous breed and will prove dangerous for the future,” Vyas, who is also member of the National Live Stock Mission (NLSM), said addressing media persons.

He said that there are nearly 16,000 purebreed Gir cows in Gujarat and its total population in India was over one lakh. Gir are found in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu, Andra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

Scion of Jasdan royal family Saytajit Khachar said, “We need to concentrate on how we can increase productivity of indigenous breed instead of importing semen from Brazil.”

Brazil has preserved the Gir breed and has a sizeable population while in India the population has decreased due to breeding with Jersey cow.