Bihar Looks Towards IVF To Produce High Yielding Cows To Boost Dairy Sector
An Embryo Transfer Technology and IVF Laboratory is working towards increasing the stock of Bihar's diverse and unique breeds of cows.
Published : December 25, 2025 at 4:59 PM IST
Patna: Bihar is looking towards the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) technique to produce a large number of high-yielding cows to boost its dairy sector. An 'Embryo Transfer Technology and IVF Laboratory' established under the National Gokul Mission is working towards increasing the stock of Bihar's diverse and unique breeds of cows that will lead to a substantial increase in milk production.
The IVF technology is being used to produce a large number of female calves of high-quality indigenous breeds. It is being claimed that through this technology, a large number of calves can be produced per year from a single cow of good breed.
Experts at the Bihar Animal Sciences University are of the view that the IVF technology will significantly boost indigenous animal breeds like Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar and Red Purnia. They say that the indigenous breeds not only have greater resistance to diseases but also need lower maintenance costs, resulting in greater profits for livestock farmers.
Laboratory In-charge Dr Dushyant Yadav disclosed that the Sahiwal and Red Sindhi breeds are currently in the highest demand. He said that the IVF technology could usher in a new milk revolution in Bihar.
He explained that the IVF process in cattle is similar to the technique used in humans, where eggs are obtained from a cow with a high milk yield (20 litres per day). Around 100 to 120 eggs can be extracted from a cow at a time. He added that this same centre in Patna holds the record for obtaining a maximum of 127 eggs from a Sahiwal cow at a single time. These eggs are fertilized in the lab with sperm from a high-breed bull.
He further explained that after fertilization, the embryo is allowed to develop in the lab for approximately seven days and is then implanted into the womb of a healthy, but low-milk surrogate cow. This process is different and superior to traditional artificial insemination as there is a higher chance of pregnancy, and it allows multiple offspring to be produced from a single mother.
"This laboratory has achieved many successes. In 2021, the first female calf was born using the IVF technology and was named Nandini. The embryo creation process used at that time lacked a high success rate as embryos were created in a single cow's ovary and implanted in separate cows," said Dr Yadav.
He said that after adopting a new and more effective surrogacy process, the first calf that was born entirely through the IVF technology in 2024 was named Tanuja. The embryo was created in the lab and later implanted in a cow. Most importantly, all the 25 calves born through this technology in Bihar so far have been female.
"In the fertilization process, sperm with the X chromosomes are used in large quantities. Although there are chances of a male calf being born, they are very low. The effort is to rapidly increase the number of milk-producing cows in the future," he said.
The veterinary expert said that it costs approximately Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 for a cattle breeder to implant an embryo of an advanced breed like Sahiwal in his cow. However, the University is working to reduce the cost to Rs 10,000 to Rs 15000 in the coming days.
“We currently have over 100 ready-made embryos, including both frozen and fresh embryos. Due to the higher success rate, there is an emphasis on providing fresh embryos to cattle breeders. The University is continuously working to implement this technology and make it accessible to rural farmers. We are preparing to train all the veterinary officers in the state so that this technology can reach every village in Bihar in the next couple of years," he added.
It is being claimed that the scope of this initiative is not limited to cows. The laboratory is also working on advanced buffalo breeds like Murrah. Under the National Gokul Mission, a total of 31 such centres are to be established across the country, of which this centre in Bihar has emerged as one of the most successful.
"This technology will not only increase milk production but also help address the growing problem of infertility in animals. The possibility of producing a large number calves annually from a single healthy cow could open new doors of economic prosperity for dairy farmers," concluded Dr Yadav.
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