Use surrogacy to produce more healthy cows: CS Dr K S Jawahar Reddy

Tirupati: More healthy indigenous calves are ready to emerge in near future through surrogacy, said State Chief Secretary Dr K S Jawahar Reddy.

The CS, who is on a two-day visit to the temple city, visited the TTD-run SV Gosala on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, he said the ambitious project jointly taken up by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) to promote indigenous cattle breeds and sustain their progeny was yielding fruitful results.

He said the healthy Indian cattle breeds viz. Sahiwal, Gir etc were brought from Northern part of India to SV Gosala. In collaboration with SVVU, six calves were produced through In-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer technology, out of which five are heifer calves(females)and one is a bull calf(male). About 90 percent of the calves born out of this technology are heifer calves. As ovum and sexed semen technology are being utilised in this process, the probability of female calves is more, he added.

The CS also said another 13 cows will soon deliver calves as surrogacy technique is applied on low yielding cows to produce healthy progeny. The chief objective of this programme is to use desi cow milk in the Kainkaryams, rituals of Tirumala and also in Tiruchanur soon besides the conservation of indigenous breeds, he maintained.

JEO for Health and Education Sada Bhargavi, SV Gosala Director Dr Harnath Reddy, SVVU Vice-Chancellor Padmanabha Reddy, Gosala Trust member Sunil Reddy and others were present.

Earlier, the CS offered prayers at Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple in Tiruchanur. JEO Veerabrahmam offered prasadams to the dignitary.