ABS GLOBAL Signs Sexed Semen Agreement with Indian Cooperative, Dudhsagar Dairy
December 5, 2017
We are very excited to announce that ABS Global has signed an agreement to provide sexed semen using Genus IntelliGen™ Technologies (GIGT) proprietary sexing technology to the Mehsana District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. in Mehsana, India. We were especially happy to sign the agreement shortly after National Milk Day in India!
Under the agreement, a sexed semen lab will be built at the Mehsana Cooperative stud, commonly known as Dudhsagar Dairy. GIGT is the global brand behind the technology that enabled ABS Global to launch Sexcel™ Sexed Genetics globally in September and start producing sexed genetics at our Brahma genetics facility in India.
This is the first such agreement in India and the opportunity to make sexed semen available on this scale has the potential to change its dairy industry with an increased number of female calves and reduced amount of unproductive male calves. Now, farmers will have the opportunity to seek to produce enough milk for every child to have a glass of milk every day in India.
The ability to increase the heifer population will not only benefit Indian farmers, but it has the potential to benefit the greater vegetarian population across India well. Milk is the only source of animal protein for this segment of the population.
Using GIGT technology, Mehsana Co-op (Dudhsagar) can provide sexed semen to their farmers for breeds like Kankrej, Gir, crossbreds and Mehsana buffaloes. At present, production at Dudhsagar Dairy has successfully commenced from September 2018.
November 26 is celebrated as India’s National Milk Day each year, to mark the birthday of Varghese Kurien, India’s successful dairy entrepreneur and founder of dairy firm Amul. India is the world’s largest milk producing country with 16 percent of global production and the dairy sector is one of India’s biggest industries with more than 10 million dairy farmers. Dudhsagar Dairy is part of Amul and is one of the largest milk co-operatives in the country with processing of 5 million liters of milk daily and a range of value-added dairy products.
This is a milestone event for Genus, Dudhsagar dairy and the Indian dairy sector. We are extremely proud to be part of the change that our technology will bring to this sector.