Bhopal: Number of cows increased, bulls disappeared

Madhya Pradesh : A steep decline has been observed in the population of bulls and oxen as compared to cows across the state. A rough estimate by the Directorate of Animal Husbandry shows that cows constitute 85% of the population, while bulls and oxen constitute just 15%. Officials fear that this gap may widen further as the demand for bulls and oxen continues to fall. Sources in the Directorate of Animal Husbandry say that the demand for bulls and oxen has fallen significantly after farmers started using tractors and other modern farm equipment. Most farmers are no longer interested in keeping oxen for traditional farming. Bulls, which were once raised primarily for breeding, are now becoming less relevant. With the advent of artificial insemination and sex-sorted insemination techniques, most farmers now prefer to take cows to breeding centres instead of relying on bulls for breeding. Farmers hope that their cows will give birth to female calves, which will grow into milk-producing cows. This improves household income. The sex-selective insemination method has a greater than 90% chance of producing a female calf, making it a preferred option.