Hariana cow breed yields record 20.6 kg milk per day

HISAR: Scientists of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences here managed to have a record 20.6kg of milk in a day from indigenous Hariana breed of cow. University vice-chancellor Gurdial Singh while congratulating the scientists of animal genetics and breeding section stressed on doubling farmer’s income through comprehensive breed improvement programmes.

Singh said that it was worth mentioning that the department of animal genetics and breeding was granted a project, ‘Genetic Improvement of Indigenous Breed of Cattle–Hariana Unit’, by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1985-86 to undertake studies on propagation, multiplication, improvement and conservation of Hariana cattle breed with the germplasm unit on the main campus and four other associated units in and around Hisar. “This project on genetic improvement of Hariana cattle breed successfully continued for nearly 25 years,” he maintained.

He said the efforts of university breeders brought moments of joy after judicious selection and mating of eight generations of Hariana cow under the project when one of its animals had surpassed all records in its class and recorded a peak yield of 19.80kg per day. The VC said in addition to that the cow not only attained a peak yield at 17.2 kg per day with total yield of 3,281.4 kg during the last lactation period but also had an unprecedented average daily milk yield of 12.97 kg per day.

Head of the animal genetics and breeding department Abhay Singh Yadav claimed that the unique performance of the Hariana cattle herd at the farm in general and cow A-6 in particular was obtained due to concerted efforts by the team of scientists. Parveen Goel, director of research at the university, and Diwakar Sharma, dean, college of veterinary sciences, praised the scientists of the department and commended their commitment.