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Animal Husbandry

Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AH&D) – now renamed as Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying & Fisheries (DADF) is one of the Departments in the Ministry of Agriculture and came into existence w.e.f. 1st February, 1991, by converting two divisions of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation namely Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development into a separate Department. The Fisheries Division of the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation and a part of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries were later transferred to this Department w.e.f. 10th October, 1997.

The Department is responsible for matters relating to livestock production, preservation, protection from disease and improvement of stocks and dairy development, and also for matters relating to the Delhi Milk Scheme and the National Dairy Development Board. It also looks after all matters pertaining to fishing and fisheries, inland and marine.

The Department advises State Governments/Union Territories in the formulation of policies and programmes in the field of Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries. The main thrust areas are:

  1. Development of requisite infrastructure in States/UTs for improving productivity
  2. Preservation and protection of livestock through provision of health care
  3. Strengthening of Central livestock farms (Cattle, Sheep and Poultry) for development of superior germ plasm for distribution to states
  4. Expansion of Aquaculture in fresh & brackish water, and welfare of fisher-folk etc.

FAQ

Q-1. What is artificial insemination (AI)?

Artificial insemination (AI) is the process of impregnating a cow with semen that has been removed from a bull. When done effectively, AI has success rate similar to that of natural breeding.

AI is used for a variety of reasons, some of which include:

  1.  Choosing the sire (or sires) for your breeding program from a world-wide pool of genetics.
  2. Avoiding the expense and added trouble of keeping bulls in pasture.
  3. Breeding more cows to a single bull at one time than would be possible with natural breeding.

Q-2. How long can semen be stored?

Indefinitely you may lose some potency, but as long as the tank is full of nitrogen, it will keep for years. Use tongs to retrieve semen.