India has registered two high-yield synthetic cattle breeds, Karan Fries and Vrindavani, which can produce over 3,000 kg of milk in a 10-month lactation period—significantly surpassing the 1,000-2,000 kg yield of indigenous breeds. Karan Fries is a cross between indigenous Tharparkar cows and Holstein-Friesian bulls, while Vrindavani combines exotic breeds like Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Jersey with indigenous Hariana cattle. These registrations bring the total number of registered livestock and poultry breeds in India to 246, including 242 indigenous and four synthetic breeds.

The registrations, presented by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at an ICAR-NBAGR event, also included 14 new indigenous breeds of cattle, buffalo, goats, poultry, and waterfowl from various states. ICAR emphasized the importance of conserving indigenous genetic resources amid climate change challenges, while highlighting the synthetic breeds’ potential to boost India’s dairy sector. Since 2008, ICAR’s breed registration program has aimed to provide legal protection, support breed-specific development, and facilitate government schemes, with the process typically taking 2-5 years.