What is Progeny Testing Programme and what are its activities in Kerala?
In order to assess the breeding value of the Sunandini bulls for milk production, the Board started a progeny testing programme during the year 1977 based on a field milk recording system. This is a joint project of the State and the Central Government. The ICDP regions of Mavelikara, Kanjirappally, Vaikom and Kattappana were selected for carrying out the inseminations using semen from the young Sunandini bulls (test bulls . The factors influencing the selection of those areas were : i) density of cattle population ii) diversity in the geography among the locations 1500 test inseminations are being carried out using semen from each bull tested with the intention of obtaining at least 50 completed first lactation records from the progeny.
