Karnal, July 15 -- In a major breakthrough in Indian animal biotechnology, the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, has successfully produced a Gir calf using ovum pick-up and in vitro fertilisation (OPU-IVF) from oocytes (developing eggs) retrieved from a cloned Gir cow - a first-of-its-kind achievement in the country, experts at the institute said. The institute stated that this success highlights NDRI's leadership in cattle reproduction innovation. The entire process, which usually takes five to seven years through traditional breeding, was accomplished in just 39 months. The calf, born to a Sahiwal surrogate, was created from oocytes aspirated from 'Ganga', India's first cloned Gir cow, and fertilised with semen from a genetically superior Gir bull, according to NDRI scientists. The research team responsible for the milestone includes Manoj Kumar Singh, Ranjeet Verma, Kartikey Patel, Priyanka Singh, Nitin Tyagi and Naresh Selokar. 'Ganga' was born on March 16, 2023, through handmade cloning technology developed in-house by NDRI scientists. She matured normally and attained puberty by 18 months. Announcing the development on Monday, ICAR-NDRI director and vice-chancellor Dheer Singh called it a significant step toward self-reliance in dairy genetics. "This achievement marks a revolutionary leap in improving indigenous cattle breeds. It enables faster multiplication of elite germplasm and brings science-backed prosperity to farmers," he said. He added that the newborn Gir calf is the second-generation offspring of the original elite donor and Ganga. "The fact that this was achieved in just 39 months underscores the transformative potential of combining cloning and IVF for livestock development," Singh said....