Connect with:
Sunday / December 22. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "Bikaner"
Agro Universities, Animal Health, India, Live Stock, R&D

Zanskari breed of horses is known for their ruggedness, ability to withstand extreme cold climates, work tirelessly, and carry loads at high altitudes.

Continuing their success in producing foals through Embryo transfer, Scientists at the Equine Production Campus, Regional Station of ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Bikaner for the first time in the country have produced a Zanskari horse foal using Embryo transfer technology.

To produce the viable embryo, fresh semen from a Zanskari stallion has been used for artificial insemination and the embryo was recovered through flushing from the mare at 6.5 days after ovulation. The recovered embryo was transferred to the estrus-synchronised surrogate mare. The mare delivered a healthy female foal on 23rd April 2024. The birth weight of the foal was 28 kg.

The team led by Dr TR Talluri, Equine Production Campus, ICAR-NRC on Equines, Bikaner has also successfully vitrified 18 Marwari horse embryos and 3 Zanskari horse embryos till now and currently, studies are in progress to revive the cryopreserved embryos and transfer them into surrogate mares.

Zanskari, a native pony breed of Leh-Ladakh in Trans-Himalayan region of India is well adapted to high-altitude regions. This breed of horses is known for their ruggedness, ability to withstand extreme cold climates, work tirelessly, and carry loads at high altitudes. According to 20th Livestock Population Census, the total population size of Zanskari is 6660 and comes under the endangered category. There is an urgent need to conserve this precious breed in the country. In this endeavour, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Hisar is working strenuously to conserve the breed and has standardised the technology of embryo transfer in equines.

Congratulating the team of Scientists, Dr. TK Bhattacharya, Director, ICAR-NRC on Equines said that the need of the hour is to conserve the indigenous population of horses which are under the threatened or endangered category. He further elaborated that ‘Raj-Zanskar’ is the first Zanskari horse foal produced through Embryo transfer technology in the country.

Zanskari breed of horses is known for

Agro Universities, R&D, Sustainability

The MoU will provide further impetus to agricultural research and expansion activities

Dhanuka Agritech Ltd, India’s leading agri-input company, has signed an MoU with Bikaner-based Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agriculture University (SKRAU) to aid and promote soil management, availability of quality seeds, plant protection, better yield of crops and easy transfer of agri innovations’ benefits to the farmers. 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by R.G. Agarwal, Chairman, Dhanuka Agritech Limited, and Dr Arun Kumar, Vice Chancellor, SKRAU, Bikaner.

Briefing about the development, R. G. Agarwal, Chairman, of Dhanuka Group emphasised that agricultural knowledge, quality seeds, increasing the yield capacity of soil, water conservation in farming, and plant protection are fundamental requirements of farmers today. To enable this, the University and Dhanuka Group will work together. He also proposed to develop an ideal agricultural village through joint efforts and offered to provide scholarships, internships, and employment to the students of the university.   

Dr Prakash Singh Shekhawat, Research Director of SKRU said that the MoU will provide further impetus to agricultural research and expansion activities. Presiding over the function organized in the ‘Vidya’ pavilion of the university, Dr Arun Kumar, Chancellor said that the MoU will not only facilitate knowledge of the right medicines for plant protection but also Dhanuka Agritech will make arrangements for the availability of medicines through an outlet outside the university. 

The MoU will provide further impetus to

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Animal Health, India, Live Stock, R&D

This technology may be used for faster multiplication of elite germplasm and resurrection of endangered horses or valuable/desired horse germplasm.

Continuing their success in producing the foal through Embryo transfer, scientists at Equine Production Campus, Regional Station, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Bikaner, Rajasthan for the first time in the country have produced a horse foal using an admixture of two technologies viz. frozen semen technology and Embryo transfer technology.

During the process of producing the viable embryos, frozen semen from a stallion was used for artificial insemination and the embryo was recovered from the inseminated mare on the 7.5th day after ovulation. The recovered embryo after flushing was transferred to the estrus-synchronised surrogate mare. The mare delivered a healthy female foal at 3:40 AM (IST) on 4th October 2023. The weight of the foal at birth was 35 Kg. This foal developed through these assisted reproductive technologies has been named ‘Raj-Himani’.

This technology may be used for faster multiplication of elite germplasm and resurrection of endangered horses or valuable/desired horse germplasm. The combination of semen cryopreservation and embryo transfer technology in the production of foal will greatly benefit the farmers, equine rearers involved in racing, sports and other commercial activities for replicating their own elite horses or elite animals having reproductive disorders.

Dr. TK Bhattacharya, Director, ICAR-NRC on Equines said the population of equines in India is dwindling at a faster rate India and infertility and non-reproducing mares are also one of the reasons for this. The technology could also be applied to those animals which do not respond to the conventional infertility treatment regimes, he added.

Dr. SC Mehta, Head, Regional Station, Equine Production Campus, ICAR-NRC on Equines, Bikaner said the technology would have a tremendous impact on the conservation and propagation of superior indigenous horses in the country.

This embryo transfer foal using cryopreserved semen was developed by Dr TR Talluri, Sr. Scientist and his team of ICAR-NRC on Equines (Dr Yash Pal, Dr SC Mehta, Dr RA Legha, Dr RK Dedar, Dr Sajjan Kumar, Dr. Jitender Singh, Shri Paswan and others).

This technology may be used for faster

Agrotech, Climate, Company News, Environment, India, Sustainability, Sustainable Energy

ADB’s support will fund the construction of five 14.9-megawatt biomass power plants in the districts of Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, and Sikar in the state of Rajasthan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and SAEL Industries Limited have signed loan agreements of up to 7.5 billion Indian rupees (around $91.14 million) to promote the generation of biomass energy using agricultural residue, helping diversify India’s energy mix and reduce carbon intensity. 

ADB’s support will fund the construction of five 14.9-megawatt biomass power plants in the districts of Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, and Sikar in the state of Rajasthan. Around 1.5 billion Indian rupees for each power plant will be provided to subsidiaries of SAEL Industries: Chattargarh Renewable Energy Private Limited, KTA Power Private Limited, Sardarshahar Agri Energy Private Limited, TNA Renewable Energy Private Limited, and VCA Power Private Limited. 

“Establishing biomass power plants that can repurpose agricultural residue will help protect the environment while contributing to the government’s goal of expanding renewable energy sources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. It will also help increase the income of local farmers through sales of agricultural residue and reduce the burning of agricultural waste, contributing to the improvement of air quality,” said Ashok Lavasa, ADB Vice-President for Private Sector Operations and Public–Private Partnerships. “ADB’s assistance will have a powerful demonstration effect for biomass power by helping reduce risk perceptions and by creating awareness of its benefits and potential for use in other rural communities and developing member countries.”

The power plants will convert about 650,000 tons of agricultural residues into electricity and are expected to generate 544 gigawatt-hours of energy per annum, helping avoid up to 487,200 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Local farmer incomes will rise through the sale of agricultural residue. The project also aims to purchase agricultural residue and other goods and services from at least 100 women-owned microbusinesses and 10 women’s self-help groups.

“By collecting the crop stubble to be used as fuel in our waste-to-energy plants, we help combat one of our nation’s greatest health issues, while simultaneously creating local employment and generating extra income for farmers and local entrepreneurs. We are happy to have ADB partnering with us in these efforts,” said Jasbir Singh, SAEL Industries Chairman and Managing Director.

ADB’s support will fund the construction of

AgroPolicy, Dairy, India, Live Stock, People, R&D, Schemes - Govt, Sustainability

The Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing has been inaugurated to explore the immense opportunities in the camel product processing sector

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, inaugurates the ‘Camel Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing’ at the ICAR centre in Bikaner. ICAR–Bikaner is a Premier Research Centre and an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Considering the importance of camel in the socio-economic development of arid and semi-arid zones, the Government of India established a Project Directorate on Camel at Bikaner in 1984, which was upgraded to National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC) in, 1995

The Centre has been identified as one of the important tourist places of Bikaner and is included in the tourist book. A camel museum is available to apprise them of the developmental and research aspects of the camel in the desert ecosystem. Every year thousands of Foreign and Indian tourists visit the centre.

The Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing at the centre has been inaugurated by taking into consideration the immense opportunities that this sector holds.

Parshottam Rupala interacted with pastoralists and the pastoral community at the research centre. Further, the Minister also visited the institute’s facilities and interacted with the scientist and domain experts. Detailed discussions followed on the significance of the inception of this producinstitute’s facilities and interactions shall benefit the pastoral community.

While inaugurating the training wing, Parshottam Rupala said, ‘With the Animal Husbandry sector emerging as one of the diversified drivers of economic growth and rural income, there is a need for technological infusion, public investments, and policy reforms. Further, the Union Minister also said that this centre is beneficial not only to the pastoral communities in the state of Rajasthan but India as a whole. He added that the Ministry aims to work in tandem with the stakeholders for the continued growth of the livestock sector.

The Product Processing Utilisation & Training Wing

Agro Universities, Animal Health, Dairy, Live Stock

Discussions were held on camel conservation like the promotion of milk for human health, popularisation of its nutraceutical-rich products, development of ecotourism etc

The ICAR-National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner, Rajasthan recently organised a seminar on ‘Arid Animal Husbandry and One Health Concept: Challenges and Opportunities’ in Bikaner.

Dr Bhupendra Nath Tripathi, Deputy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR stressed the need of linking animal husbandry in the dry arid region with the One-Health concept. The progress made by India in improving the per capita availability of milk, egg, meat and their products was highlighted in Dr Tripathi’s address. The DDG emphasised achieving better production by linking the traditional methods of animal husbandry with the upcoming scientific and technological advancements in the area of livestock husbandry. Dr Tripathi also interacted with the trainees on camel wool processing for the women farmers to promote the utilisation of wool in the cottage industry for the value-addition.

Dr Artabandhu Sahoo, Director, ICAR-NRC on Camel, Bikaner underlined the centre’s research achievements. Continuous efforts are done in the field for camel conservation like the promotion of milk for human health, popularisation of its nutraceutical-rich products, development of ecotourism, value-addition of camel wool/hair and development of leather and bone products, etc., were also outlined by Dr Sahoo.

Dr Hemant Dadhich, Director Research, RAJUVAS, Bikaner, Rajasthan deliberated on ‘Emerging and Re-emerging Camel Health Issues and their Management.’

Dr Yashpal, Director, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equine, Hisar, Haryana also participated in the seminar.

Discussions were held on camel conservation like

Agro Universities, Dairy

The institute and Ankusham Engineering Group signed an MoU to expand camel-based entrepreneurship in South India

The ICAR-National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner, Rajasthan in collaboration with the Ankusham organised a seminar on ‘Extended Utility of Camel, particularly its milk as a therapeutic adjuvant in treatment against diabetes and autism to Southern India’ in Coimbatore.

In his address, Dr Artabandhu Sahoo, Director, ICAR-NRC on camel stated that the centre’s efforts have inspired and helped in promoting the camel as a milch animal. He also highlighted the coming-up of the camel dairies in the different parts of India.

Manikandan, MD, Ankusham Engineering Group outlined the benefits of camel milk for diabetic and autistic patients. He also mentioned rural/peri-urban youths venturing into camel eco-tourism and helping to pave a new way in expanding the utility of the Camel species in Southern India.

Both the organisations also signed an MoU for the collaboration to expand camel-based entrepreneurship in Southern India during the occasion. The seminar registered participation by 165 delegates.

The institute and Ankusham Engineering Group signed