Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre (BBBRC) at Bhildi in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district. The facility, developed at a cost of Rs 325 crore, aims to improve indigenous cattle breeds, increase milk productivity and strengthen the dairy sector through advanced breeding technologies.
Spread over 127 acres, the centre has been established by Banas Dairy with technical support from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and assistance under the Centre’s Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
During his visit, Modi toured the facility and interacted with officials to understand its operations. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Banas Dairy chairman and Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary accompanied him.
The centre will deploy advanced reproductive technologies, including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo transfer, to improve the genetic quality of indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds. It has an annual embryo production target of 25,000.
Its breeding programme will cover indigenous cattle breeds such as Kankrej, Gir, Sahiwal and Tharparkar, along with buffalo breeds including Mehsani, Banni, Jaffrabadi and Murrah.
The initiative is expected to benefit dairy farmers by enabling higher milk production from a relatively smaller number of animals. This is particularly relevant as livestock maintenance costs are rising and fodder availability is becoming a constraint for farmers.
The facility will also make quality semen, embryos and other breeding services available to livestock owners at affordable rates, helping improve the productivity and genetic potential of their animals.
The project is expected to strengthen scientific breeding practices and support the development of indigenous breeds, while improving the economic prospects of dairy-dependent households.