For protecting local cow breeds, state takes to bull sterilization

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has managed to sterilize around 22,000 bulls as part of its statewide campaign launched in June to check the number of stray cattle on state roads and ensure purer local breeds. Haryana has 425 gaushalas which houses 3.25 lakh cows and bulls. However, 1.17 lakh cattle are still out on the state's streets.
According to director general of animal husbandry department G S Jakhar, gaushala managements in the state had pointed out that bulls were creating problems in cow shelters."Full-grown bulls fight in the cattle sheds and gaushala managements are refusing to accommodate them," says Jakhar.
According to Jakhar, after sterilization the bulls don't fight as frequently. Another reason behind the drive is to check population of cow breeds that have low productivity. "Now, we will keep only bulls from best breeds that have with good milk productivity. We have also decided to promote artificial insemination to promote 'desi' cows from local breeds like Hariana and Sahiwal," Jakhar adds.
Haryana animal husbandry minister Om Prakash Dhankar says the government will continue the sterilization campaign to check the population of stray cattle. The farmers in villages have also organized panchayats often to demand some solution for the menace of stray cattle as animals often destroy thir crops.
To promote local breeds, the government has already decided not to impregnate indigenous breed animals with semen of foreign breeds under the crossbreeding programme that had been going on since the past four decades.
Amid the increasing problem of stray bulls and cows in rural Haryana, the state BJP government has also planned to set up five sanctuaries for such bovines. The sanctuaries would be set up in the land ranging from 100 acres to 200 acres keeping in view the availability of water and fodder.