Mohammad Badrul Ahsan :
The government is set to issue license to private livestock companies to produce cow semen for commercial purpose with an aim to varietal development of cattle in the country, sources said.
Earlier, the state-run Department of Livestock Services (DLS) had the only licence to collect semen from cow and buffalos for ‘artificial insemination’ (AI) which has now become a sine qua non technology for development of highly productive cattle.
“Considering necessity of high yielding variety of livestock in the country, we have decided to issue license to private operators,” said a top official of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, told The New Nation on Saturday preferring anonymity.
“A good number of local and foreign companies are in queue to get the license with an aim to produce and market ‘artificial insemination’ both at home and abroad,” he informed.
However, according to the official, the ministry has in the mean time issued license to American Dairy Ltd (ADL) to produce cow semen for commercial purpose.
The company has in the meantime also started marketing their newer brand of pasteurised milk ‘Moo’ at a limited scale.
ADL is a sister concern of American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB).
ADL has got the licence first among private companies for production of semen to enhance the country’s research on AI.
AI is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female animal’s uterus or cervix for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilisation by means other than sexual intercourse.
It is a fertility treatment for humans, and is a common practice in animal breeding, including dairy cattle.
“We have got the licence to produce semen commercially from our developed bullocks which is a landmark for the private companies engaged in dairy sector in the country,” Karjon Saha, executive officer of ADL, told The New Nation.
When asked, he said private companies and organisations like Brac, Lal Teer etc are involved in AI with imported semen.
He said they have now 850 developed varieties of cattle for milk and semen purpose at their comprehensive dairy farm in Sreepur, Gazipur situated on 250 bighas of land (a bigha = 33 decimals).
“We have started collecting semen from the highly productive bullocks to market the same commercially,” he said.
“Distributors in 50 districts are providing ADL semen to dairy farmers at a rate of Tk 120 per dose,” he said.
“Rate of effectiveness is above the international level — 1.2 to 1.4 inseminations per conception,” he said.
ADL Consultant Md Shafiqur Rahman told The New Nation that AI of dairy cattle in the country, which almost depends on imported seeds, will get a newer speed through their initiative.
The ADL Artificial Insemination Laboratory (ADLAIL) has now 105 bulls including Holstein Freisian, Sahiwal and local highly productive bulls, he said.
“We have a target to establish a national livestock resource genebank,” he said.
He informed that his company has started marketing their pasteurised milk, dahee (yoghurt), ghee in a limited scale.
“We got certification from the BSTI (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution) six months back and started marketing our milk named ‘Moo’,” he said.
“We have now a production capacity of 1,500 litres per day and we deliver milk to some clubs including Gulshan Club, RAOWA, Banani Club,” he said.
The government is set to issue license to private livestock companies to produce cow semen for commercial purpose with an aim to varietal development of cattle in the country, sources said.
Earlier, the state-run Department of Livestock Services (DLS) had the only licence to collect semen from cow and buffalos for ‘artificial insemination’ (AI) which has now become a sine qua non technology for development of highly productive cattle.
“Considering necessity of high yielding variety of livestock in the country, we have decided to issue license to private operators,” said a top official of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, told The New Nation on Saturday preferring anonymity.
“A good number of local and foreign companies are in queue to get the license with an aim to produce and market ‘artificial insemination’ both at home and abroad,” he informed.
However, according to the official, the ministry has in the mean time issued license to American Dairy Ltd (ADL) to produce cow semen for commercial purpose.
The company has in the meantime also started marketing their newer brand of pasteurised milk ‘Moo’ at a limited scale.
ADL is a sister concern of American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB).
ADL has got the licence first among private companies for production of semen to enhance the country’s research on AI.
AI is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female animal’s uterus or cervix for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilisation by means other than sexual intercourse.
It is a fertility treatment for humans, and is a common practice in animal breeding, including dairy cattle.
“We have got the licence to produce semen commercially from our developed bullocks which is a landmark for the private companies engaged in dairy sector in the country,” Karjon Saha, executive officer of ADL, told The New Nation.
When asked, he said private companies and organisations like Brac, Lal Teer etc are involved in AI with imported semen.
He said they have now 850 developed varieties of cattle for milk and semen purpose at their comprehensive dairy farm in Sreepur, Gazipur situated on 250 bighas of land (a bigha = 33 decimals).
“We have started collecting semen from the highly productive bullocks to market the same commercially,” he said.
“Distributors in 50 districts are providing ADL semen to dairy farmers at a rate of Tk 120 per dose,” he said.
“Rate of effectiveness is above the international level — 1.2 to 1.4 inseminations per conception,” he said.
ADL Consultant Md Shafiqur Rahman told The New Nation that AI of dairy cattle in the country, which almost depends on imported seeds, will get a newer speed through their initiative.
The ADL Artificial Insemination Laboratory (ADLAIL) has now 105 bulls including Holstein Freisian, Sahiwal and local highly productive bulls, he said.
“We have a target to establish a national livestock resource genebank,” he said.
He informed that his company has started marketing their pasteurised milk, dahee (yoghurt), ghee in a limited scale.
“We got certification from the BSTI (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution) six months back and started marketing our milk named ‘Moo’,” he said.
“We have now a production capacity of 1,500 litres per day and we deliver milk to some clubs including Gulshan Club, RAOWA, Banani Club,” he said.
