Madhya Pradesh has become India’s second state to implement artificial insemination (AI), using sex-sorted semen technology, ensuring 90% female calf births to transform its dairy sector. The ground-breaking initiative, following Uttarakhand’s lead, aims to boost milk production while addressing the persistent stray cattle problem.
The technology works by filtering out Y chromosomes from bull semen, retaining only X chromosomes that produce female calves. Dr. Deepali Deshpande from Bhopal’s Central Semen Station reports remarkable success: “In our three-year pilot project, 95% of inseminated cows delivered female calves.”
Currently producing 200,000 doses annually, the state plans to scale up to 2.5 million doses within five years. Despite production costs of ₹850 per dose, heavy government subsidization makes it available to farmers for just ₹100.
Complementing this technological advancement, the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Kamdhenu Yojana offers substantial financial support for dairy entrepreneurs. The scheme provides subsidies up to ₹14 lakh for establishing 25-animal dairy units, with SC/ST farmers receiving 33% subsidies and general/OBC categories getting 25%.
The response has been overwhelming 1,400 applications received within a month, far exceeding the planned 850-900 beneficiaries. Animal Husbandry Minister Lakhan Patel notes that some farmers have applied for the maximum quota of 200 animals across eight units.
The state’s ambitious target is to increase daily milk collection from the current 10 lakh litres to 50 lakh litres, following Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah’s recommendation. This dual strategy of ensuring female births through AI technology and providing financial support for large-scale dairy operations positions Madhya Pradesh to become a leading milk-producing state, potentially revolutionizing India’s dairy landscape.
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