Representational photo.

DHAKA, Aug 8, 2025 (BSS) - The government has unveiled a plan to increase meat and milk production through developing local cattle breed aiming to address nutritional needs, reduce poverty and improve rural livelihood.

The government will focus on breeding 'proven bulls' by selecting male calves from the highest-yielding crossbred cows under a five-year initiative on "Proven Bull Creation to Increase Milk and Meat Production," set to begin in the current fiscal year 2025-26.

Funded entirely by the government at a cost of Tk 69 crore, the project will be implemented by the Bangladesh Livestock Services (DLS) and the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI). It targets 93 upazilas across 18 districts in four divisions.

Under the project, 400 bull calves from various breeds, including Desi-Friesian, Desi-Sahiwal crossbred, Red Chattogram, Pabna, Munshiganj and North Bengal Gray, will be selected based on the average milk production of the mother cow.

The collected bullocks will undergo rigorous testing and evaluation with 200 candidate bulls ultimately chosen for semen collection. The bulls will then be assessed for breeding value before being declared "proven bulls."

Dr. M Mostafizur Rahman, project director at DLS, emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, "Insemination with proven bulls will help develop cattle varieties that significantly increase milk and meat production."

Key goals of the project include producing proven bulls to enhance and sustain cow productivity, conserving the genetic traits of indigenous breeds and building the skills of both farmers and departmental staff to boost milk output.

Officials at the ministry said the project is crucial to improving livestock productivity and sustainability, thereby strengthening national food security.

The initiative also aligns with the National Livestock Development Policy-2007, which mandates the strict selection of animals with high breeding value through genetic evaluation to promote superior breeding bulls nationwide.

Currently, many hybrid cows in rural areas produce 25 to 30 liters of milk daily. This is to promote the production of superior breeding bulls across the country, they mentioned.

Maintaining this productivity requires quality semen, but uncoordinated breeding and improper semen use have negatively impacted high-yielding heifers. The project seeks to counter these challenges by developing proven bulls.

Besides, the project plans to train 34,375 farmers, including providing elite cow incentives to 7,500 highly productive cow owners. Farmers will be encouraged to use proven bull semen, while vaccines, medicines and feed will be supplied to support the effort.

The World Health Organization recommends a daily milk intake of 250 milliliters per person.

The Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2022, however, reports that per capita daily milk and milk product consumption in Bangladesh remains low at just 34.1 grams, highlighting the need for increased production.