SAC approves legislation to regulate bovine breeding activities

Jammu: The State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Governor, Satya Pal Malik approved the Jammu and Kashmir Bovine Breeding Bill, 2018.
The Bill aims to regulate bovine breeding activities including use of bovine breeding bulls for production of bovine semen, production, processing, storage, sale and distribution of bovine semen and Artificial Insemination (AI) services in bovines for improving the productivity of bovines in the State.
There are around 60 semen stations in the country and 40 are among the elite list. Two semen stations of Jammu and Kashmir namely Semen Station Ranbirbagh and Hakkal are also included in this elite list.
There is no provision for regulating use of bovine semen doses procured from outside State and there are apprehensions of spread of disease and degradation of livestock.
A breeding bull infected with a disease can infect 1 lakh cows if used for AI. At present 10 lakh AI are being conducted annually to cover 4 lakh breedable cattle/buffaloes out of the 18 lakh breedable bovines.
Implementation of this Bill shall encourage use of disease free, high pedigreed bulls for breeding programs and prevent spread of sexually transmitted diseases to 18 lakh breedable bovines of the State. It will discourage quacks for providing AI services and other breeding services in the State. It will serve as a tool for regulating import of bovine semen from unregistered semen stations, Private AI workers and other bovine breeding service providers.