Synthetic cattle are now at the center of India’s latest push to lift dairy productivity, following the formal registration of two high-yield breeds that officials say can produce more than 3,000 kilograms of milk during a standard 10-month lactation period.
The announcement was made this week in New Delhi by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who presented registration certificates for 16 new livestock and poultry breeds at an event organized by the ICAR–National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources. The addition of Karan Fries and Vrindavani brings the total number of officially registered breeds in the country to 246.
According to ministry officials, the new synthetic cattle breeds significantly outperform most indigenous dairy animals, which typically average between 1,000 and 2,000 kilograms of milk per lactation. The performance gap, they said, underlines the potential of structured crossbreeding and long-term genetic improvement programs to transform farm-level productivity.
Both Karan Fries and Vrindavani have been developed through years of research collaboration between the National Dairy Research Institute and the ICAR–Indian Veterinary Research Institute. Scientists involved in the programs explained that the breeds combine the hardiness and adaptability of Indian cattle with the superior milk-yield traits of exotic germplasm, creating animals better suited to local conditions while maintaining high output.
During the certificate presentation, Chouhan described the registrations as a milestone in India’s agricultural development strategy. He said the expansion of the national breed registry reflects a more systematic approach to livestock improvement and conservation, and aligns with the government’s long-term “Viksit Bharat” vision.
Officials familiar with the program noted that beyond boosting milk volumes, the new synthetic cattle are designed to address challenges linked to climate change, including heat stress and feed variability. By selecting animals that can sustain production under harsher conditions, researchers aim to safeguard the country’s milk supply as weather patterns become less predictable.
The registration drive also highlights the government’s dual focus on productivity and genetic conservation. Alongside the two high-yielding synthetic breeds, certificates were issued for a range of indigenous livestock and poultry varieties, signaling that modernization efforts will not come at the cost of eroding local genetic resources.
Experts within ICAR said that formally registering breeds plays a critical role in protecting intellectual property, standardizing performance benchmarks, and guiding breeding policy. It also helps extension systems and dairy cooperatives promote the right animals in the right regions.
Farmers stand to be the biggest beneficiaries. Higher-yielding cows mean more milk from the same herd size, improving incomes without proportionally increasing feed or land requirements. For smallholders, who make up the backbone of India’s dairy sector, even modest gains in per-animal productivity can translate into meaningful improvements in household earnings.
Industry observers said that if adoption of synthetic cattle expands through artificial insemination and structured breeding programs, India could accelerate its progress toward closing regional productivity gaps. While some states already post high average yields, others remain far below national potential due to poor genetics and limited access to improved breeds.
The new registrations also reinforce India’s standing as one of the world’s most dynamic dairy genetics laboratories. Over the past decade, research institutions have increasingly focused on creating animals that fit India’s diverse agro-climatic zones rather than relying on imported breeds that may not thrive outside controlled environments.
Officials from the National Dairy Research Institute said that the work behind Karan Fries and Vrindavani was not about quick fixes but about decades of selection, performance recording, and refinement. They emphasized that sustained investment in breeding infrastructure and data systems is essential if the full benefits of synthetic cattle are to be realized at scale.
As the country continues to expand its breed registry, policymakers say the challenge now lies in moving beyond certificates and into widespread field adoption. That will require strong coordination between research bodies, state animal husbandry departments, dairy cooperatives, and private insemination networks.
For now, the launch of Karan Fries and Vrindavani stands as a signal of intent. By putting synthetic cattle at the heart of its dairy development agenda, India is betting that science-led breeding can unlock the next phase of growth in the world’s largest milk-producing nation.
Written for eDairyNews, with information from: Devdiscourse
