In a major boost to livestock genetic improvement and a step towards strengthening the animal husbandry and dairy sectors, the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, has successfully produced five healthy calves, including a female, through test-tube embryo transfer.The development marks a scientific milestone, with indigenous Sahiwal calves born for the first time through ultrasound-guided ovum pick-up, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (OPU–IVF–ET) technology. Notably, all the calves were born from the eggs of a single Sahiwal donor cow.Known for high milk yield, Sahiwal cattle are a popular indigenous dairy breed from the Indian subcontinent, mainly found in Punjab (India and Pakistan).How was this done?The procedure was performed using ovum pick-up (OPU) along with in vitro fertilisation (IVF), with the entire process — from egg collection to embryo transfer and birth — was completed within the normal gestation period of about nine months.Four calves were born this month, while one was born in the last week of February.An IVRI scientist explained that this method leads to the creation of high-quality embryos in a controlled laboratory environment. In this process, mature eggs are collected from animals using ultrasound-based techniques and fertilised with sperm in the lab. The embryos can also be stored and used as needed.Also Read | ‘The world’s most expensive cattle’: Booming in Brazil, dwindling in IndiaThese lab-developed embryos are then implanted into the uterus of surrogate cows or buffaloes, often those with lower milk yield, helping spread better genetic traits more widely.What was the rationale for employing this method?Story continues below this adThese “test-tube” offspring are likely to produce milk similar to the original animal, helping improve breeds and increase overall milk production.Research on ovum pick-up (OPU) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) began in 2022–23, with the OPU–IVF–ET programme launched during the same period. It was further developed through research projects aimed at improving the genetic quality of indigenous bovine breeds, including Sahiwal cattle, Tharparkar cattle, and Murrah buffalo.Scientists said that under normal breeding, cows and buffaloes can become pregnant only once a year. However, with the OPU–IVF technique, around 10 calves can be produced from a buffalo and about 20 from a cow annually.Tharparkar cattle are also known for good milk production and are a dual-purpose breed used for both milk and farm work. It is native to the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan and nearby areas.Story continues below this adMurrah buffalo, known for very high milk production and rich fat content, is one of the most popular and high-yielding buffalo breeds in India, mainly found in Haryana and surrounding regions.Explained | Why an Austrian cow scratching its back has scientists scratching their heads“We believe this will help improve the genetic quality of livestock breeds and lead to significant progress in animal husbandry and milk production across the country,” said Dr. Brijesh Kumar of the Animal Reproduction Division of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, under whose leadership a team of scientists carried out the work.He added that the OPU-IVF-ET programme was initiated during 2022-23 and advanced through research projects aimed at strengthening the genetic improvement of indigenous bovine breeds, targeting the three major dairy breeds.“Since inception, the team has worked to standardise OPU-IVF-ET protocols for these indigenous breeds under both farm and field conditions. Finally, five healthy Sahiwal calves have been produced through OPU-IVF-ET technology within a span of five days, starting from 28 February,” said Dr Brijesh.Story continues below this adHe added that these calves were produced using genetically superior germplasm: the donor was a Sahiwal cow producing more than 12 litres of milk per day, and semen was used from a proven bull with the dam’s lactation yield of ~ 3,320 kg of milk.“The USP of these findings demonstrates the sound technical competency of our scientists in recovering oocytes under non-stimulated conditions, with average recoveries of approximately 14.5 per donor in Tharparkar, 13.14 in Sahiwal, and 4.5–5.5 in Murrah buffalo breeds. Blastocyst (an embryo a few days after fertilisation) production rate exceeded 47% in cattle and more than 42% in Murrah buffalo – on par with those of leading Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) laboratories,” added Dr Brijesh.The Indian Veterinary Research Institute started research on embryo transfer in animals in 2018. At that time, embryos were developed inside the female animal using the superovulation method (inducing the release of more eggs) and then transferred to surrogate mothers after seven days. With this technique, the institute produced 30 calves, he added.