Sri Vijay Puram, Nov. 2: The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS), Andaman & Nicobar Administration, has achieved a historic milestone in livestock development with the birth of the first female calf produced through Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The calf was born on Nov. 1, 2026 under the jurisdiction of Veterinary Hospital, Garacharma, to the cow of Smt. K. Priya, resident of Kamraj Nagar. The dam and the new born calf are healthy, and the parturition was normal.
The embryo transfer was performed on Feb. 10, 2026. Pregnancy was confirmed positive on March 20, 2026. The weight of the new born calf, calculated using girth and length measurements, is 21.3 kg. This successful birth marks the culmination of the first cycle of the ETT project, which was launched in the Islands earlier this year in collaboration with NDDB Dairy Services.
The Embryo Transfer Technology project was initiated with the objective of rapidly upgrading the genetic quality of local cattle, increasing the female calf ratio, enhancing milk production potential, and accelerating dairy development in the Union Territory. The first embryo transfers were carried out in February 2026, beginning with selected clusters in South Andaman. The birth of the first ETT female calf is a significant validation of the technology under island conditions and opens the way for further scaling of advanced reproductive techniques.
The Department of AH&VS has congratulated the beneficiary farmer and the veterinary team involved in the successful implantation, pregnancy monitoring and calving. Officials have emphasised that this achievement is expected to encourage more livestock farmers to adopt scientific breeding practices, including Embryo Transfer Technology and Sex Sorted Semen, for higher milk yield and better returns.