The ICAR has approved registration of record 15 new breeds of livestock and poultry this year alone taking the total to 40 during 2014-18, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh at a ceremony for awarding breed registration certificates to the stakeholders today said that the 15 newly registered breeds include Two cattle breeds - Ladakhi (J&K) and Konkan Kapila (Maharashtra & Goa); Three buffalo breeds - Luit (Assam & Manipur), Bargur (Tamil Nadu), Chhattisgarhi (Chhattisgarh); One sheep breed – Panchali (Gujarat); six goat breeds – Kahmi (Gujarat), Rohilkhandi (UP), Assam Hill (Assam & Meghalaya), Bidri (Karnataka), Nandidurga (Karnataka), Bhakarwali (J&K); One pig breed –Ghurrah (UP); One donkey breed – Halari (Gujarat) and one chicken breed –Uttara (Uttarakhand).
The Minister further said that these native breeds are renowned for heat tolerance, disease resistance and thriving on low input system. The process of identification of animal breeds and their documentation is not only important in providing value to the ingenious animal breeds and introducing various development programs of the government for their improvement but also plays a special role in preserving the biodiversity of the country. We have about 15 percent of total cattle, 57 percent of total buffalo, 17 percent of goat, 7 percent of sheep and 4.5 percent of chicken of the world. There is still the possibility of many populations in pure form in the remote areas which need to be assessed for registration as breeds in the coming years.
He said that other than recognition of new breeds; the improvement, protection and conservation of existing breeds are equally important. Keeping this in mind, a number of measures have been taken to protect native breeds. In Rashtriya Gokul Mission, more than Rs 2000 crore has been allocated for the improvement and conservation of our indigenous breeds.
The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh felicitated the stakeholders of 15 newly registered breeds of livestock and poultry at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi
The Minister stated that during the year - 2014-18, 40 new livestock and poultry breeds have been successfully registered.
The Minister emphasized that the native breeds are renowned for heat tolerance, disease resistance and thrives on low input system. He elaborated that the registration of such breeds is not important only to provide value to indigenous animal breeds, but it also plays a pivotal role in the conservation of the biodiversity of the country.
Highlighting the achievements, the Minister stated that under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, till now, more than Rs. 2,000 crore have been allocated for improving and conserving our indigenous breeds.
Union Ministers of State, Shri Parshottam Rupala; Smt. Krishna Raj and Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Dr. J.K. Jena, Deputy Director General (Animal Sciences) were also present during the ceremony.
National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) established on 21st September, 1984 at Bangalore in the form of twin institutes namely National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources and National Institute of Animal Genetics and then shifted to Karnal in 1985, the two institutes were merged to function as a single entity in the form of NBAGR in 1995. This premier institute is dedicated to work with its mandate of identification, evaluation, characterization, conservation and utilization of livestock and poultry genetic resources of the country.
