OPU-IVF Calf Born in Badri Cattle in Major Indigenous Breed Conservation Milestone

A healthy Badri female calf was born on 11 September 2026 through Ovum Pick-Up and In Vitro Fertilisation (OPU-IVF) technology at the Academic Dairy Farm of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The Badri embryo was conceived in a laboratory and transferred into a Sahiwal cow as a surrogate mother. The work formed part of a three-year research programme involving ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, and G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.

OPU-IVF in cattle reproduction

OPU-IVF is an assisted reproductive technology used in bovines for producing embryos from oocytes collected from donor females. In the OPU method, ova are picked up from the ovary, fertilised in vitro, and the resulting embryo is transferred into a recipient cow. The technique is used in cattle breeding programmes for faster multiplication of selected germplasm.

Badri cattle as an indigenous breed

Badri cattle are an indigenous cattle genetic resource of Uttarakhand and are recognised as the state animal. Indigenous cattle breeds are valued in India for adaptation to local climate, disease resistance, and utility in low-input farming systems. Badri cattle are part of the wider conservation focus on native bovine genetic resources in the Himalayan region.

Research collaboration and breeding applications

The research programme began in 2023 under the leadership of the then Vice-Chancellor of G.B. Pant University, Dr. M.S. Chauhan. The project received financial support from the Uttarakhand Biotechnology Council, Haldi. Scientists have also generated cloned Badri embryos and are exploring cloning of elite, high-producing Badri cows.

Important Facts for Exams

• OPU stands for Ovum Pick-Up, a technique used to collect oocytes from donor females in cattle.
• IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilisation, a laboratory method used to create embryos outside the body.
• Sahiwal is an Indian cattle breed often used in breeding and dairy improvement programmes.
• ICAR-NDRI, Karnal, is a major national institute for dairy research in India.

Badri cattle are an indigenous breed of Uttarakhand and are linked with conservation of native bovine germplasm. Cloning and IVF-based breeding are used in livestock research for multiplication of genetically superior animals.