PM inaugurates ₹325-crore Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre at Bhildi, Banaskantha (Gujarat) – Kankrej, Gir and other native breeds

30 October 2026 · English Science & TechnologyAgriculture

Topics: States, Tax, Environment, Culture & Awards · 30 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

On 30 Oct 2026 PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 'Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre' (BBBRC) at Bhildi, Banaskantha district, Gujarat, to the nation. Built by Banas Dairy on 127 acres at about ₹325 crore, with technical guidance from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and support from the 'Rashtriya Gokul Mission', it will use ovum pick-up–in-vitro fertilisation (OPU-IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) to improve native cattle such as Kankrej and Gir and buffalo breeds such as Mehsani and Banni. It targets 25,000 high-quality embryos a year, aiming for 10–20 calves a year from one elite cow instead of one by conventional breeding.

Key facts

Background

• Kankrej breed: an indigenous breed of the Rann of Kutch area on the Gujarat–Rajasthan border; dual-purpose – milk and draught. Silver to dark grey coat; both sexes have large horns. Also called Talabda and Wadhiar.
• Global link: Kankrej cattle exported to Brazil from about 1870 gave rise to the 'Guzerá' breed, which also contributed to the American 'Brahman'. Ongole (as 'Nelore') and Gir (as 'Gyr') are also famous in Brazil.
• Science: in IVF, egg and sperm are united outside the body in a lab; the embryo is placed in a surrogate cow (embryo transfer), so one elite cow can yield many calves a year. Indian native cattle belong to 'Bos indicus' (humped zebu).
• Scheme: Rashtriya Gokul Mission (Dec 2014) – to conserve and develop indigenous breeds; run by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Banas Dairy is a member union of the 'Amul' federation (GCMMF), headquartered at Palanpur.

Tamil Nadu link: Tamil Nadu's registered native cattle breeds – Kangayam (Kongu region – Tiruppur, Erode), Umblachery (Cauvery delta), Pulikulam (Sivaganga–Ramanathapuram), Bargur (Erode hills) and Alambadi (Dharmapuri–Krishnagiri).

Source: ETV Bharat, 30 Oct 2026; DeshGujarat, 27–28 Oct 2026; BW Businessworld; Rural Voice; Wikipedia (Kankrej)

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