📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Joydeep Chakraborty
Agriculture
Assam’s First IVF‑Born Calf, Lakhimi, Moves From Lab to Pasture
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 25 Aug 2026, 06:51 PM
👁 2
Scientists in Assam have successfully delivered Lakhimi, the state’s first calf born through in‑vitro fertilisation, and the animal has now been transferred to a farm for grazing.
A team of researchers in Assam has announced the birth of Lakhimi, the first calf in the state to be produced using in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF). The embryo was created in a laboratory petri dish and implanted in a surrogate mother, marking a milestone for assisted reproductive technology in Indian livestock.
The procedure was carried out at a local agricultural research centre, where scientists monitored the embryo’s development before transferring it to the surrogate. After a full gestation period, the calf was delivered healthy and is now being moved to a pasture‑based farm for normal rearing.
Experts say the successful IVF birth could help improve cattle breeding programmes, especially for high‑yielding or disease‑resistant breeds. By enabling controlled genetics, the technique may boost milk production and reduce reliance on traditional breeding methods.
The calf, named Lakhimi, will spend the next few weeks adapting to grazing conditions while researchers continue to study its growth and health indicators, aiming to refine IVF protocols for broader application across the region.
The procedure was carried out at a local agricultural research centre, where scientists monitored the embryo’s development before transferring it to the surrogate. After a full gestation period, the calf was delivered healthy and is now being moved to a pasture‑based farm for normal rearing.
Experts say the successful IVF birth could help improve cattle breeding programmes, especially for high‑yielding or disease‑resistant breeds. By enabling controlled genetics, the technique may boost milk production and reduce reliance on traditional breeding methods.
The calf, named Lakhimi, will spend the next few weeks adapting to grazing conditions while researchers continue to study its growth and health indicators, aiming to refine IVF protocols for broader application across the region.