"One head on top of three heads, the good days in the future have a head. In March this year, in Chaganhada Sumu Baiyin Baolig Gacha, Inner Mongolia's Bahrain Left Banner, herdsman Marsi Bilig looked at the four generations of Simmental calves thriving in his barn, and his uncontrollable smile always hung on his face.
▲ Marsi Bilig feeds the cattle in the cattle pen
Chaganhada Sumu is located in the pastoral area, and the local industry is mainly animal husbandry, including 1,039 beef cattle breeders, and the perennial stock of beef cattle is about 28,000 heads. Although there are a lot of them, they are always almost hot to get rich, "the main reason is that the breed of cattle is not good." Masibilig said that the herders traditionally breed "stupid cows" (local Mongolian cattle), which do not grow dry and do not sell meat at a high price.
"Cattle breed first" - this is an agricultural proverb that circulates in the grassland pastoral areas. In recent years, Chaganhada Sumu has introduced Simmental purebred cattle with the characteristics of large physique, fast growth, more muscle and less fat, and guided herders to improve local beef cattle breeds with the help of cold matching technology and create a high-quality breed cattle industry.
▲Chaganhada Sumu high-quality Simmental cattle breeding base
"We thaw the semen of Simmental purebred cattle and deliver it directly to the uterus of the local Mongolian cow through a sperm gun to impregnate the cow in order to improve the next generation of the breed. The technology is mature and reliable, but it often takes 10-15 years to obtain Simmental cattle of near-purebred quality, said Ateri, head of the Chaganhada Sumu Animal Prevention Station.
"Yes, it is embryo transfer, in which the fertilized eggs of purebred Simmental cattle are transferred into native recipient cows, and through 'borrowing the belly to conceive', the four generations of Simmental cattle are directly bred to be close to purebred. ”
Although the embryo transfer technique is good, it is more expensive. Atri calculated an economic account for the reporter: for an embryo transfer, the cost of the embryo will be 2,000 yuan, and the technical service will have to be calculated separately.
"Of course, it is good to be able to directly breed four generations of cattle that are close to pure breeds, but we have only heard of embryo transfer, and we have not seen the effect with our own eyes, so we are naturally reluctant to try. "Marsibilig's ideas represent the voices of the majority of herders.
In September 2022, based on the needs of the development of the beef cattle industry in Bahrain Zuoqi, the Three Gorges Corporation invested assistance funds to implement the beef cattle embryo transfer project, establish an embryo transfer center, and provide embryo transfer improvement technology for 1,000 cows of Chaganhada Sumu herdsmen free of charge.
"Agriculture and animal husbandry is the main carrier for the revitalization of rural industries and the common prosperity of farmers and herdsmen in Bahrain Left Banner. In the process of fixed-point assistance, we focus on local characteristic industries and strive to explore new ways to link agriculture with farmers. Cheng Runyi, deputy flag chief of the Three Gorges Corporation stationed in Bahrain Left Banner, said.
▲Cows waiting for embryo transfer in the embryo transfer center
In order to improve the physical condition and pregnancy rate of cows at conception, the project concentrates pregnant cows in the embryo transfer center two months in advance. While doing the embryo transfer for free, it also saved more than 1,000 yuan in forage fees, and the enthusiasm of the herdsmen was immediately mobilized.
"Since it's free this time, let's give it a try. In July 2023, Masibilig sent one of her cows to an embryo transfer center for embryo transfer.
Four months later, four generations of Simmental calves from the Marsie Bilig family were born. "Clean face, purple saffron, typical characteristics of four generations of cattle. It's so beautiful. Marci Billig was overjoyed. Today, the five-month-old calf has grown to weigh more than 500 catties, far exceeding the local Mongolian cattle of the same age.
▲The fourth-generation Simmental calves (left) of the Marsibillig family are significantly taller and stronger than the Simmental calves of the same age
According to Ateri, in the pastoral area of Bahrain's Left Banner, herders generally raise their calves until about eight months before selling them to the outside world. According to the current market situation, this month's Mongolian cattle and Simmental generation cattle can only be sold for about 3,000 yuan. The fourth-generation Simmental cattle of the same month age can be sold for 10,000 yuan, and the price is more than three times worse.
At present, more than 400 cows have been successfully conceived in the beef cattle embryo transfer program, and all of them have successfully given birth to four generations of Simmental calves. With the birth and growth of four generations of Simmental cattle, the herders felt the changes brought about by agricultural technology and began to hire technicians to perform embryo transfers for their cows at their own expense.
▲ Four generations of Simmental cattle born in the embryo transfer project
▲ Four generations of Simmental cattle born in the embryo transfer project
In February of this year, Marsi Bilig performed embryo transfers on two of the family's cows. "I am now confident in the embryo transfer technique. The embryo transfer of the two cows cost more than 4,000 yuan, but it was well spent!" says Marci Billig.
▲Marsi Bilig's family is becoming more and more confident in raising cattle, and their lives are getting more and more prosperous
"The beef cattle embryo transfer project has improved the quality of beef cattle and brought direct income growth to herders, but more importantly, it has accelerated the process of agricultural technology promotion, changed the traditional thinking of herders who only focus on quantity and not quality, and extensive breeding, and promoted the herders to transform to the breeding model of 'less and intensive breeding'. Cheng Runyi said.
The author of this article is Xu Qiang
Photo by Xu Qiang, Sun Kai, Cheng Lin