India plans Siri cattle breeding farm in Sikkim to conserve indigenous breed
The planned facility will use scientific breeding, selective improvement and sustainable herd management to support Siri cattle conservation. Its objectives include making quality breeding bulls more readily available and organising breeding activities for the breed. The government expects the farm to expand breeding infrastructure and help safeguard native cattle genetics, while supporting the development of healthier animals with improved genetic characteristics.
Siri cattle originate from the eastern Himalayan area and are associated particularly with Sikkim and nearby territories. They are adapted to mountainous terrain and its climatic conditions, and form part of the region’s livestock biodiversity. Conservation efforts seek to retain both genetic diversity and traits acquired over generations in local environments. These resources can support breeding programmes designed around regional production conditions and contribute to livestock resilience.
The project is aligned with the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), a centrally sponsored programme administered by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD). The mission combines conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds with efforts to raise productivity using scientific breeding methods. Its broader activities encompass genetic improvement, artificial insemination, breed preservation and investment in breeding infrastructure.
The Sikkim farm is intended to bring organised conservation and breeding facilities to India’s northeast. The proposed approach includes scientific selection to improve cattle genetics and structured breeding programmes to increase access to superior germplasm. The initiative aims to support livestock keepers as well as institutions working on indigenous cattle development, and to encourage improved breeding methods while preserving the region’s native genetic resources.
Cattle rearing contributes to rural livelihoods in Sikkim and elsewhere in the northeastern states. Indigenous animals are part of local agricultural production and can be integrated into farming systems. The government presents specialised breeding infrastructure as a means of improving farmers’ access to breeding resources, expanding institutional assistance and encouraging scientific methods of livestock management. The project places these activities within a regional approach to livestock development.
The government also links indigenous-breed conservation to its wider livestock strategy, which addresses productivity, adaptation to climatic conditions, animal health and sustainable farming. Within that framework, the proposed farm is expected to support organised breeding and the preservation of Siri cattle over the long term. Its planned work brings together conservation of locally adapted genetic characteristics and genetic improvement through systematic selection.
