Livestock breeding project encompasses facilitate national AI service and natural service, procurement of germplasm, monitor changes in population trends of Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR), upgrading livestock and enhance feed resources production and utilization.

Artificial Insemination (AI) is the proven and efficient reproduction technique widely practiced in the island. Mainly cattle and less frequently buffaloes and goats are inseminated by the trained field staff of both state and private technicians.

Good quality semen is produced at Artificial Insemination Centers located at Kundasale and Polonnaruwa and distributed to the Veterinary Offices together with the liquid nitrogen which is required to maintain the keeping quality

Pregnancy Diagnosis (PD) -

Pregnancy Diagnosis (PD) is performed by the range Veterinary Surgeons (VS), usually two months after insemination, manually by per rectal examination to confirm the pregnancy.

Calving -

Progress of AI is usually reported by the field staff through the respective Veterinary Surgeons.

AI Training -

Fresh training and refresher training are conducted by the DAPH to train and refresh both state and private AI technicians as per the requests made by the range Veterinary Surgeons. All the competent AI technicians are registered and code numbers are issued for easy monitoring purpose.

Infertility Investigations -

Infertility cases are attended on request basis and required reproductive hormones are supplied to the provinces.

Pedigree and Performance Recording Scheme (PPRS) -

The current need is to properly manage the genetic resources within the country, by developing programs to select locally adapted dairy animals with higher genetic merit for the improvement of the productivity of the existing stock to fulfill the domestic requirement of milk in Sri Lanka. The objective of the PPRS (Pedigree and Performance Recording Scheme) project was to determine a cow's genetic merit and then select the top-ranked cows for milk production to inseminate with superior imported semen and produce bulls with higher genetic potential. Bulls with high genetic potential play a crucial role in maximizing production for the next generation. Despite the fact that both the sire and the dam contribute equally to the progeny's inheritance, the sire has more offspring than the dam, hence the sire has a stronger effect over the herd. As a result, a superior bull might contribute to the herd's improvement. This project evaluate and select the semen donor bulls on the basis of performance of their parents and grandparents, the process is referred to as Pedigree Selection. Pedigree selection is the method of selecting breeding stock based on ancestral productive and reproductive potential and quality. Accordingly, 21 bull caves have been selected as semen donors from 2015 to 2021 through this project to the Artificial Insemination Centers and their semen is expected to utilize in local AI programs. They were produced using imported semen of Jersey, Sahiwal, and Friesian.

Pasture and fodder Development -

Extention to field CO-5 and Sampoorna Hybrid Napier varieties which were recently introduced from VRI. Introduced Mulato – II (Brachiaria hybrid) variety. Established a mechanism to availability of high yielding fodder varieties’ stem cuttings to farmers. Established 6Ac. of Hybrid Napier Mother nurseries at GBC- Thelahera, AIC Polonnaruwa & V.R.I. Research farm- Gannoruwa. Developed 05 provincial nurseries at NWP, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Northern & Sourthern provinces. Established a Model cultivation unit at Gannoruwa to demonstrate high yielding forage varieties Improved 10 Ac. of pasture land and re-established 03 Ac. of Brachairia land at GBC, Imbulandanda. • Issuing planting materials • Conducted 02 TOT awareness programms related to Feed Resources development.

Upgrading goat population

Animal Breeding Division maintains two nucleus Goat Breeding farms with high genetic merits of Jamunapari and Boer goat breeds. Main objectives of these two nucleus goat breeder farms are issue breederble goats to the local goat farms for breeding purpose and produce semen donor stud goats to the Central Artificial Insemination Centre, Kundasale.