Question

Which amongst the following is used in raising super-milk cows?

• A. Artificial insemination with pedigree bull
• B. Embryo transplantation
• C. Superovulation of high yielding cow
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is D All of the above

Indian Government announced a National dairy plan to increase per cow milk production (through artificial insemination). The plan would promote research and development of semen to give birth to high milk producing cattle to meet the needs of the new breed of cows. The process by which an embryo is collected (flushed) from one female (the donor) and transferred to another female (the recipient) to complete the gestation period is called as embryo transplantation. Embryo transfer can be used to produce a large number of offspring per female in a shorter time than possible with normal reproduction.

Since a producers life span covers only 6 or 7 generations of cows, the chances of obtaining a super bull from a superior cow are limited. By the use of superovulation and embryo transplantation, the number of opportunities is increased.

Superovulation is the result of treatment of a donor with gonadotropin (especially follicle stimulating hormone FSH) to produce more than a single ovum.