Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala lays foundation stone of the Frozen Semen station in Ranbirbagh, Jammu & Kashmir

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala laid the foundation stone of the Frozen Semen station in Ranbirbagh, Jammu & Kashmir. Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission scheme this semen station has been sanctioned a total sum of Rs. 2163.57 lakhs. It will enable Kashmir province to be self- sufficient in the production of high quality and disease free-germ plasm to be used for Artificial Insemination coverage. Shri Parshottam Rupala in his address speech advised all departments of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying for 100% utilisation of all the schemes. He said that the Ministry will coordinate and monitor the utilization of schemes.

Frozen Semen Project Ranbir Bagh was established under INDO-DANISH project in the year 1980. The equipment for processing of frozen semen were obtained under DANIDA, an assistance programme between Danish Government and GOI.  The project was commissioned to process cryo-preserved semen in the year 1982. Frozen Semen Project Ranbir Bagh (Livestock Development Board-Kashmir) is primarily engaged in production of frozen semen doses to be used for artificial insemination of cattle in the Kashmir province of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

The station is spread over about 300 Kanals of land estate with inhouse fodder production. Situated under the foothills of the Harmukh mountain range in Ganderbal district of the UT, the station is endowed by natural means of biosecurity.

The strengthening of Frozen Semen Project Ranbir Bagh is sanctioned under RGM scheme to produce 10.95 Lac frozen semen doses by the year 2025-26, maintain ISO/ GMP certification, secure GLP certification and grade A by CMU. To realise this procurement of High Genetic Merit Breeding Bulls, construction of a new processing and quality control laboratory as per the guidelines of minimum standards protocol (MSP)/ Bio-Security and Bio-safety manual, procurement of new machinery/equipment and training and capacity building is a must.  This is intended to achieve the following long-term goals:

1. To provide quality germplasm from high genetic merit bulls to the farmers.
2. Extension in use of quality germplasm for upgradation of local cattle.
3. To increase the production statistics from animals so as to meet the ever-increasing demand for milk and dairy by-products.
4. Though projection of bovine farming as one of the means of self-employment, rural women empowerment, additional income source, source for minimum nutrients in terms of animal protein, fat etc. to the consumers.
5. Breed improvement of indigenous cattle by upgradation of genetic makeup of the animal
6. Conservation of indigenous breeds
7. To strengthen the infrastructure of semen station.
8. To put in place strong biosecurity measures.
9. To augment Artificial Insemination with sex sorted semen on preliminary basis
10. To become centre for excellence for FSD production as well as sex sorted semen production.

This project and its successful implementation/execution is expected to augment the existing infrastructure and create new infrastructure in the Frozen Semen Project-Ranbir Bagh. This will also make the Kashmir province self-sufficient in the production of high quality and disease-free germplasm to be used for AI. Increased AI coverage will be a great stride towards increasing productivity of dairy animals in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The project will strengthen Frozen Semen Bull Station, Ranbir Bagh in accordance with the MSP guidelines to realise production of over 10 Lac FSSs annually. 

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SS/IG