📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Bill Ingalls
Agriculture
Assam witnesses birth of its first female IVF calf
✍️ Hub News
🗓 22 Aug 2026, 04:33 PM
👁 2
Scientists in Assam have successfully produced the state’s first female calf through in‑vitro fertilisation, marking a milestone for livestock breeding in the region.
Researchers at the Assam Livestock Development Department announced the birth of a female calf conceived through in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF). The calf, born at a government breeding farm, is the first of its kind in the state, demonstrating the potential of assisted reproductive technologies to improve dairy productivity.
The IVF procedure involved harvesting oocytes from a donor cow, fertilising them with high‑quality sperm in a laboratory, and implanting the resulting embryo into a surrogate mother. After a gestation period of about nine months, the calf was delivered without complications.
Officials said the successful outcome could help address the shortage of high‑yielding dairy cattle in Assam by enabling the propagation of genetically superior females. Plans are underway to replicate the technique across other breeding centres to boost milk production and support local farmers.
The project, funded by the state government in collaboration with veterinary experts, underscores a growing emphasis on scientific interventions in agriculture. Stakeholders anticipate that wider adoption of IVF could enhance herd quality and contribute to the region’s economic development.
The IVF procedure involved harvesting oocytes from a donor cow, fertilising them with high‑quality sperm in a laboratory, and implanting the resulting embryo into a surrogate mother. After a gestation period of about nine months, the calf was delivered without complications.
Officials said the successful outcome could help address the shortage of high‑yielding dairy cattle in Assam by enabling the propagation of genetically superior females. Plans are underway to replicate the technique across other breeding centres to boost milk production and support local farmers.
The project, funded by the state government in collaboration with veterinary experts, underscores a growing emphasis on scientific interventions in agriculture. Stakeholders anticipate that wider adoption of IVF could enhance herd quality and contribute to the region’s economic development.