TD and SV Veterinary University in Joint Effort Produces First OPU IVF Calf
Tirupati: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), in collaboration with Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU), has successfully produced an indigenous cow breed called Sahiwal, using the ovum pick-up and in-vitro fertilisation (OPU IVF) technique.
The experiments were held at TTD's SV Dairy premises here. TTD executive officer Dharma Reddy announced the birth of the Sahiwal calf and said this marked a significant milestone in the development of domestic cattle breeds.
He said the TTD - SVVU collaboration was initiated last year through a Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of state chief secretary Jawahar Reddy.
“The objective was to develop indigenous cow breeds. The first step involved collection of eggs from elite cows of the SV Gosamrakshana Sala. These eggs were artificially developed into embryos at the IVF lab of SVVU and implanted into the uterus of crossbred cows. This resulted in the birth of an elite Sahiwal calf after nine months. The calf is healthy and doing well,” the EO explained.
Dharma Reddy said, “Padmavati, born to an Ongole cow, represents the beginning of a promising future for the indigenous cow breed. So far, only a few labs have been able to standardise and successfully produce live calves using this technique, in India.”
Vice-chancellor Padmanabha Reddy said the achievement opened the door for production of 324 high-quality Sahiwal breed cows within the next five years. Eleven cows have become pregnant through the embryo transfer process. The remaining calves are expected to be born in the coming days.
The development of the Sahiwal breed is not limited to natural reproduction alone. The project also includes the introduction of sex-determined semen through artificial insemination in other Gir cows.
The VC emphasized that this method prevents the characteristics of the surrogate cow from being passed down to the calf. "High-quality indigenous cow breeds can be produced and given to farmers at subsidized rates, benefitting both the agri sector and the overall economy,” he said.
The experiment commenced in November, 2021, and involved a multi-step process. A healthy cow was selected and it was administered an injection to induce ovulation. After the ovulation, eggs were collected from the cow's uterine cavity using advanced ultrasound technology.
These eggs were then fertilized in the laboratory using healthy semen, resulting in production of embryos. The embryos were stored in an incubator for 6-8 eight days until they developed fully. Subsequently, the embryos were implanted into pre-prepared surrogate cattle.
