Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), visited the Central Institute for Research on Goats (ICAR-CIRG) on October 20, 2024, where he inaugurated the Buck Station at the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) Jamunapari farm unit. This new facility aims to significantly improve goat breeding by producing superior-quality semen, aimed at improving the genetic traits of goat herds nationwide.
With a focus on distributing this high-quality germplasm across the country, the initiative promises to boost herd productivity and benefit goat farmers by ensuring access to better breeding resources.
Buck Station will address a crucial need in goat farming- improving breed characteristics such as milk yield, disease resistance etc. This development will not only increase the profitability of farmers' herds but also contribute to sustainable livestock practices.
During his visit, Dr. Himanshu Pathak also toured the AICRP Barbari and Muzaffarnagri sheep units, praising the efforts made in producing high-quality germplasm for both goats and sheep. He engaged with farmers from the institute's adopted villages, distributing goats, feed, and Brijmin mineral mixture.
Dr. Pathak further explored the institute’s laboratories, discussing the use of modern biotechnological tools such as artificial insemination, gamete cryopreservation, and genome editing to enhance goat productivity. He interacted with the institute's scientists and staff, commending their achievements and encouraging them to continue their valuable work.
Dr Himanshu Pathak, DG (ICAR), visited #ICAR-CIRG and inaugurated the Buck Station at the AICRP Jamunapari farm unit on 20th October 2024. The facility will produce quality semen for breed improvement and supply superior germplasm across the country . pic.twitter.com/EQXfiFilXX
— Indian Council of Agricultural Research. (@icarindia) October 22, 2024
The event was attended by Dr. Sanjeev Gupta, Assistant Director General (OP) ICAR; Dr. P. K. Rai, Director of ICAR-Directorate of Rape Seed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur; and Dr. Rathod, Head of ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chalesar, Agra.
About ICAR-CIRG
ICAR-CIRG is a premier research institute under ICAR, an autonomous body operating under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Established on July 12, 1979, the institute's vision focuses on promoting goats, often referred to as the "poor man's cow," as a means of livelihood security, poverty alleviation, and employment generation for small-scale farmers. CIRG's mission centers on enhancing goat productivity in meat, milk, and fiber through research, extension, and human resource development.
The institute's mandate includes conducting basic and applied research on various aspects of goat production, providing training, transferring technologies, and offering consultancy services aimed at improving the quality and quantity of goat-derived products. Additionally, CIRG is focused on developing processing technologies for goat products to further benefit smallholders.
