ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar launched a groundbreaking innovation in the field of sheep breeding – the Mobile Artificial Insemination Laboratory for sheep, aptly named Avi MAIL. The facility aims to revolutionize sheep breeding practices by bringing estrus synchronization and artificial insemination (AI) services directly to farmers’ doorsteps
Artificial insemination has been underutilized in the sheep industry due to challenges such as the ewe’s complex cervical canal and the limited 8-10 hour window for using liquid chilled semen. To address these issues, Avi MAIL was developed to bring AI technology directly to farmers, enabling breed improvement programs. The mobile lab ensures hygienic semen collection, evaluation, and processing from elite rams in a sterilized environment. It also offers awareness and health camps for farmers. Avi MAIL is adaptable for use with other livestock, including goats, pigs, and horses.
The Avi MAIL received widespread acclaim from Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare; Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh Alias Lallan Singh, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Prof S.P.S. Baghel, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Dr Himashu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR), Dr Sanjay Kumar, Chairman, ASRB, Dr Praveen Malik, CEO, Agrinnovate, Dr O.P. Choudhary, Former Joint Secretary (NLM), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying along with other ministers, senior officials, and experts.
Dr Arun Tomar, Director, ICAR-CSWRI, emphasized the transformative potential of Avi MAIL. He also spoke about the significant milestone in making advanced reproductive technologies accessible to farmers, particularly in remote and nomadic regions. By overcoming the limitations of conventional AI methods, Avi MAIL enables efficient breed improvement programs, paving the way for enhanced sheep productivity and economic growth in the livestock sector, he added.
Developed by Dr Ajit Singh Mahla and his team, Avi MAIL offers a cost-effective, complete AI solution for sheep breeding in the field, making it ideal for scaling up programs across India. Dr Mahla highlighted that despite India having the world’s second-highest sheep population and seven decades of successful use of Artificial Insemination (AI) in farm animals, the country has yet to achieve significant AI coverage, struggling to reach even four-digit numbers nationwide.
Avi MAIL was deployed in five villages in the Tonk and Jaipur districts of Rajasthan, where AI was successfully performed on 450 sheep from 10 farmers, resulting in a lambing rate of 58%. This success demonstrates Avi MAIL’s potential to enhance sheep productivity and support the economic growth of smallholder farmers.
The innovation has great potential for adoption by animal husbandry departments, research institutes, NGOs, and entrepreneurs involved in breed improvement. With the rise of commercial sheep farming and increasing demand for artificial insemination (AI), especially among progressive farmers, Avi MAIL offers a cost-effective, field-ready solution for AI, helping propagate superior germplasm like Avishaan and Avi-Dumba sheep. This can significantly boost sheep productivity in India. The successful launch of Avi MAIL reinforces ICAR-CSWRI’s leadership in livestock productivity innovation, bringing modern breeding practices directly to farmers and ensuring a sustainable, prosperous future for India’s sheep industry.
