IVRI produces 5 Sahiwal calves in single IVF attempt

Bareilly: Scientists at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) have produced five indigenous Sahiwal calves -- four males and one female -- in a single attempt using in vitro fertilisation (IVF), officials said. The development is expected to boost milk production, improve breed quality and enhance farmers' income.The process, completed in Feb, is part of research that began nearly four years ago. It involved ovum pick-up (OPU) through ultrasound, IVF in the laboratory, and embryo transfer (ET) into surrogate animals. The procedure was carried out on 16 cows, of which five delivered healthy calves.The first calf, a female named Gauri, was born on Feb 28, 2026, followed by the birth of four healthy male calves over the next four days.Scientist Brijesh Kumar said, "High-quality germplasm was used, including a Sahiwal donor cow yielding over 12 litres of milk daily and semen from a superior breed."Officials said farmers will be able to access embryos of high-quality cattle breeds developed in laboratories and have them implanted into other cows or buffaloes. This is expected to accelerate the growth of improved stock and increase milk production.IVRI has earlier produced 30 calves using a different embryo transfer technique, but officials said the new method is more effective and cost-efficient.