Rajasthan Unveils First Sex-Sorted Semen Lab to Boost Dairy Sector

Animal Husbandry Minister Joraram Kumawat inaugurated Rajasthan's inaugural sex-sorted animal semen laboratory at the Frozen Semen Bank in Bassi, Jaipur, on Monday.

The facility, developed in partnership with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), targets livestock breed enhancement, increased milk production, and higher dairy farmer incomes, Kumawat stated.

NDDB chairperson Minesh Shah announced the unit will yield 10 lakh semen doses annually, aimed at delivering timely, affordable quality doses to farmers.

The initiative is poised to enhance breed improvement, dairy productivity, and decrease methane emissions by converting cattle dung into fuel and fertilizer.

A tripartite MoU was finalized between the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF), Rajasthan Livestock Development Board (RLDB), and NDDB Dairy Services (NDS) to oversee the Bassi Semen Station's management and operations for the next decade.

Semen doses are priced at Rs 239 for sex-sorted, Rs 22 for indigenous, and Rs 30 for imported breeds, with branding under SARAS in Rajasthan and SAG in other states, per a release.

(With inputs from agencies.)