Uttarakhand plans genetic improvement of its indigenous Badri cow

To increase the productivity of its small indigenous Badri cow, which grazes on Himalayan medicinal herbs, Uttarakhand is now planning its genetic improvement.

To recent Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with Uttarakhand bureaucrats, Hill State Livestock Department officials proposed to use sex sorted semen technology to improve production of Badri cattle. They also proposed to opt for the embryo transfer method in order to produce more cattle of high genetic stock.

Apart from Badri ghee, which is available at the rate of ₹3,000-5,000 per kg, the state is also exploring the marketing potential of gaumutra arch (distilled cow urine), cow dung and Panchgavya (the five products of the cow, including milk, curd, ghee, manure and urine).

New reproductive technologies

Speaking about the plan, BVRC Purushottam, secretary of the department, said The Hindu that the Badri cow is the first registered cattle breed in Uttarakhand which has been certified by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).

“The problem with this bovine variety is that its milk production capacity is much lower since it gives one to three liters of milk per day. In order for herders in Uttarakhand to raise Badri and not to switch to other alternative high milk producing breeds like Jersey cows, we decided to go with Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer (MOET), a conventional embryo flushing, which is the most commonly used procedure. in advanced cattle breeding,” Mr Purushottam added.

The official also said that in vitro fertilization (IVF) by egg retrieval is the other technology that will be used to increase the yield per animal. The proposal to introduce Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) for the project, to generate employment and entrepreneurship through improved productivity of indigenous Badri livestock, will cost ₹50 crore.

Road map

As proposed in the Chintan Shivir held in Mussoorie in the last week of November, the state aims to achieve its goals in the next 10 years. The whisper (session) aimed to prepare a roadmap for Uttarakhand as it approaches 25 years of its formation.

As the plan includes increasing the productivity of the indigenous cattle breed by using sex-separated semen to reduce the unproductive male population and producing elite Badri bulls for semen production through the transfer technology of embryos, the state has set up a breeding nucleus mother bull Badri cattle farm at Nariyal village in Champawat district.

At present, Uttarakhand has about seven lakh Badri cows, among them 4.79 lakh female cows.

The Badri breed derives its name from the holy shrine of Char Dham in Badrinath. Possessing a balanced gait for the hills, this cattle breed is small in stature with long legs and varying body colors – black, brown, red, white or gray. This breed is relatively more resistant to disease, mainly due to its eating habits.

Feeds on medicinal herbs

Officials say that the USP of Badri cow products is its nativeness and environment (in the Himalayas) as it eats medicinal herbs and is far from toxic pollution, polyethylene and other harmful things to which plains cows are submissive.

“As the Badri cow only grazes on herbs and shrubs available in the mountains, its milk has rich medicinal content and high biological value. The same goes for the USP of its products for which its ghee is quite expensive. Its urine is of high value due to its diet and habitat.The milk yield from lactation ranges from 547 to 657 kg, with an average milk fat content of 4%,” said RS Negi, CEO of the Uttarakhand Livestock Development Board (ULDB).

Mr. Negi further stated that Badri cow products are sold online by Hetha Organics and Badri Ghee is sold by the Uttarakhand Cooperative Dairy Federation under their “Anchal” brand.

Business potential

“We sell Badri Gau Mutra Ark (cow urine distillate) to Hetha Organics at ₹28 per liter and undistilled Gaumutra at ₹5 per litre. We also sell fresh Badri cow dung to a few entrepreneurs at ₹1 per kg from which they manufacture products and sell on their retail platforms as well as online platforms,” he added .

Aseem Rawat, the founder of Hetha Organics, said they have been selling and manufacturing native cow products for eight years now.

“We have a native cow herd of over 1000 cows and bulls of Gir, Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Himalayan Badri breed. When Hetha started eight years ago, selling indigenous cow’s milk was very difficult. Awareness of the health benefits of Panchgavya native cow products are growing with every passing day,” he said, adding that the platform has seen a consistent 5% year-over-year growth rate, especially of urine and cow dung, as the people who make Ayurvedic medicine buy it from them.