📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / পৱন বৰ্মন
Agriculture
Assam witnesses first IVF‑born indigenous Lakhimi calf, says CM Sarma
✍️ Mid-Day
🗓 23 Aug 2026, 12:03 PM
👁 3
Assam has produced its first indigenous Lakhimi calf through in‑vitro fertilisation, a milestone hailed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The livestock department of Assam announced that a calf of the indigenous Lakhimi breed was born using in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF), marking the state’s first success with this technology for native cattle. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the achievement, calling it a historic step toward reviving and strengthening indigenous bovine genetics.
The IVF procedure was carried out at a government‑run animal husbandry facility, where scientists collected oocytes from a donor cow and fertilised them with sperm in a laboratory setting before implanting the embryo into a surrogate. The resulting calf is healthy and is expected to contribute to breeding programmes aimed at improving milk yield and disease resistance among local breeds.
State officials said the breakthrough could reduce dependence on cross‑bred cattle and support farmers by providing a sustainable source of high‑quality indigenous livestock. They plan to expand IVF applications to other native breeds across the region.
The milestone aligns with Assam’s broader agricultural policy to preserve biodiversity and enhance rural livelihoods through modern scientific interventions.
The IVF procedure was carried out at a government‑run animal husbandry facility, where scientists collected oocytes from a donor cow and fertilised them with sperm in a laboratory setting before implanting the embryo into a surrogate. The resulting calf is healthy and is expected to contribute to breeding programmes aimed at improving milk yield and disease resistance among local breeds.
State officials said the breakthrough could reduce dependence on cross‑bred cattle and support farmers by providing a sustainable source of high‑quality indigenous livestock. They plan to expand IVF applications to other native breeds across the region.
The milestone aligns with Assam’s broader agricultural policy to preserve biodiversity and enhance rural livelihoods through modern scientific interventions.