Artificial insemination (AI) is a cornerstone technology in modern livestock production, offering numerous advantages that directly improve farm productivity and profitability. By introducing semen from genetically superior bulls into female animals without natural mating, AI allows farmers to produce healthier, more productive offspring with higher milk yields, better growth rates, and improved fertility. In Pakistan, AI began in the 1970s, and today approximately 2.5 million semen doses are produced domestically each year, while an additional 1 million doses are imported to meet the demand of 40 to 45 million cattle and buffaloes. Despite this, AI coverage remains low at around 8–9 percent of the national herd, leaving the majority of livestock dependent on natural breeding. AI enables rapid genetic improvement, helps control inbreeding, spreads elite traits across herds efficiently, and reduces the risk of transmitting sexually transmitted diseases among animals. Globally, over 70 percent of dairy cows in the United States and more than 90 percent of dairy cows in Denmark are inseminated artificially, resulting in milk yields of 8,000 to 12,000 liters per cow per lactation. In South Asia, countries like India and Bangladesh have reported milk yield increases of 15–30 percent in crossbred cows through organized AI programs. These advantages make AI a powerful tool for both smallholder and commercial farmers in Pakistan, supporting sustainable livestock production, improving income, and contributing to national food security.

In Pakistan, several public institutions play a central role in producing high-quality semen, including the Semen Production Unit Harichand (KPK), Semen Production Unit Qadirabad (Punjab), Genetic Improvement Center Khizerabad, and the Department of Theriogenology at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Approximately 2.5 million semen doses are produced domestically each year by these institutional and private semen-production units, while an additional 1 million doses are imported from international genetic companies to meet demand. With these combined 3.5 million doses annually, AI coverage reaches roughly 8–9 percent of Pakistan’s 40–45 million cattle and buffalo population, indicating that the majority of livestock still rely on natural mating. This highlights both the potential for growth and the urgent need for improved access, technician training, and AI infrastructure. AI not only accelerates genetic improvement but also reduces the spread of infectious diseases and allows farmers to access elite genetics from superior or geographically distant bulls, making it a powerful tool for both smallholder and commercial operations.

The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) plays a pivotal role in promoting artificial insemination and overall livestock development in Pakistan. The ministry formulates national policies for genetic improvement, supports the establishment and monitoring of semen production units, and coordinates between provincial livestock departments and educational institutions. Through programs such as the National Dairy Development Program and AI extension initiatives, MNFSR provides technical guidance, quality control standards, and funding for bull rearing, semen production, and technician training. The ministry also facilitates research and data collection to improve conception rates, semen quality, and herd productivity. By setting national priorities and monitoring AI coverage, MNFSR ensures that provincial programs align with broader goals of food security, sustainable livestock production, and rural income enhancement.

Despite these efforts, Pakistan still produces only a fraction of the semen required to serve its livestock population. Many SPUs were originally designed for modest output and have not been upgraded in line with rising demand. The number of elite bulls maintained is often insufficient, and collection, processing, and storage facilities are constrained. High-quality bulls are critical for producing large quantities of fertile semen, yet sub-optimal nutrition, health care, and breeding management of bulls reduce semen quality and quantity. Technician training is often inadequate, with many AI personnel trained through short-term three- to six-month courses that do not provide sufficient practical experience. These short-term courses, including those under the Prime Minister’s Skilled Programme, must be discouraged and stopped, as they have contributed to poorly trained inseminators, repeated insemination failures, wasted semen doses, and loss of farmer confidence. Only two-year AI training programmes, recognized by the provincial livestock departments and following a standardized nationwide curriculum, should be allowed, ensuring uniform quality, sufficient hands-on experience, and proper certification for inseminators across the country. Weak cold-chain infrastructure and inadequate refrigeration during transport compromise semen quality, making many doses unusable. Low farmer awareness regarding AI benefits, poor heat detection, and substandard herd management practices further reduce effective demand, leading to underutilization of available semen. Administrative and regulatory weaknesses, such as lack of monitoring, poor coordination, and absence of quality control standards, contribute to inefficiency. The reliance on imported semen to fill quality gaps reduces incentives to expand domestic production, and together these factors have resulted in AI coverage remaining very low.

Provincial livestock departments, despite having institutional infrastructure, have also failed to significantly increase semen production. Many SPUs were established decades ago and were designed for small-scale production. Facilities, equipment, and storage capacity have not been upgraded, and the number of elite bulls is insufficient. Budgetary constraints limit the ability to hire skilled staff, procure advanced equipment, maintain cold-chain facilities, and expand production units. Funding shortages also affect bull nutrition, health care, and semen quality monitoring. Skilled personnel are limited, as provincial departments rely on technicians trained in short-term courses that do not provide adequate practical skills. Sub-optimal feeding, inadequate veterinary care, and lack of genetic selection policies reduce semen quality and quantity. Weak monitoring and quality control procedures result in large quantities of semen being wasted or rendered unsuitable for AI. Insufficient coordination between provincial SPUs, universities, and private providers creates duplication of effort and inefficient resource utilization. Departments have not invested adequately in farmer education, proper heat detection, or herd management, leading to low adoption rates. The dependence on imported semen reduces the incentive for local units to scale up production, and collectively, limited infrastructure, inadequate training, poor bull management, weak monitoring, and lack of farmer engagement have kept semen production far below potential. Strategic planning, resource investment, technical capacity building, and improved coordination with universities, the private sector, and MNFSR are required to address these gaps.

Reliable research on semen-production performance in Pakistan demonstrates that under favorable conditions local infrastructure is capable of producing large numbers of semen doses. A study at SPU Qadirabad in Punjab found that 238 bulls over their productive life of approximately 5.4 years produced on average 17,143 semen doses per bull, which translates to roughly 3,000 doses per bull per year, though actual output ranged from 724 to 5,745 doses depending on management, bull health, and semen-collection protocols. This shows that potential capacity exists but requires proper management and widespread use.

Artificial insemination plays a crucial role in improving milk production by enabling farmers to use superior genetics. In cattle, especially in crossbred herds, AI with semen from proven bulls can significantly increase milk yield in subsequent generations. In buffaloes, AI spreads elite genetics, potentially improving milk yields and reproductive traits. By reducing reliance on genetically inferior or randomly selected local bulls, AI allows systematic genetic progress that can translate into better lactation performance, higher milk fat and protein content, and improved fertility. However, these gains require complementary improvements in feeding, health care, and herd management. When performed correctly, AI helps shorten calving intervals, improve conception rates, and enhance reproductive efficiency across herds. Under field conditions in Pakistan, fertility results often remain sub-optimal due to inadequate technician training, weak cold-chain maintenance, poor heat detection by farmers, and lack of follow-up services. Repeated failures undermine farmer confidence, causing many to revert to natural breeding.

The veterinary educational and training institutions of the country share significant responsibility for AI shortcomings. Short-term three- to six-month AI courses do not provide the technical depth, field experience, or practical training required for high-quality insemination. As a result, many certified inseminators lack the skills and experience needed for optimal performance, directly affecting conception rates and shattering farmer confidence. Therefore, short-term courses, including those under the Prime Minister’s Skilled Programme, must be stopped immediately. Only properly structured two-year AI training programmes, recognized by provincial livestock departments and using a standardized nationwide curriculum, should be permitted, ensuring uniform quality, sufficient hands-on experience, and proper certification for inseminators across the country.

Milk and meat production in Pakistan depend heavily on genetics, nutrition, reproductive performance, and farm management. AI supports all these aspects: better genetics lead to higher milk yields, improved fertility ensures more productive lactations, and superior offspring are generally more feed-efficient. Even modest improvements in milk yield or fertility can significantly increase income, enhance food security, and support rural livelihoods.

Artificial insemination is a powerful tool for farmers to improve productivity, health, and profitability of their livestock. By using semen from genetically superior bulls, farmers can produce calves with higher milk yields, better growth, and improved disease resistance. Small-scale farmers can benefit from AI when they work with certified technicians, provide proper nutrition, and manage their herds carefully. Past failures should not discourage farmers; with proper practices and guidance, AI can increase income, improve herd quality, and secure livelihoods over the long term.

Regional countries provide valuable success stories. In neighboring South Asian countries, widespread AI adoption combined with proven bulls, robust extension services, and well-managed semen-production centers has led to substantial improvements in milk yield, fat content, and shorter calving intervals even in smallholder farming systems. Government-backed efforts to upgrade AI services, expand laboratory capacity, and train technicians in other countries have significantly increased productivity of crossbred cattle and reduced dependence on imported dairy products. Developed countries stand as global benchmarks, with average milk yield per cow increasing dramatically over the past decades. In the United States, over 70 percent of dairy cows are inseminated artificially, resulting in improved genetic merit, shorter calving intervals, and better herd health. In Europe, countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark maintain annual milk yields above 9,500–10,000 kilograms per cow, thanks to elite genetics, AI, optimal herd nutrition, and veterinary care. These results provide a benchmark for what Pakistan can achieve if AI programs are strengthened and managed systematically.

To realize similar gains, Pakistan needs a comprehensive reproductive-management strategy that includes upgrading semen-production units, certification and capacity-building of AI technicians, disease-free bull-rearing programs, improved extension services for heat detection and nutrition, and strong cold-chain infrastructure. The Ministry of National Food Security and Research must continue to play a central role in policy formulation, quality control, coordination between provinces, and provision of technical and financial support. A national digital database to record inseminations, births, milk and meat production, and offspring performance would enable monitoring of genetic progress and guide policy decisions.

Nationwide implementation of a standardized two-year AI training programme, recognized by provincial livestock departments, is projected to substantially improve Pakistan’s livestock productivity. By ensuring that all technicians receive comprehensive practical training, uniform knowledge, and proper certification, conception rates could increase from current field averages of 35–45 percent to 60–70 percent in crossbred cattle. Improved inseminator skills and adherence to quality standards would reduce semen wastage by 20–30 percent, increase AI coverage from less than 10 percent to potentially 25–30 percent of the national herd within five years, and accelerate genetic improvement. These outcomes would directly enhance milk production, meat yield, and farmer income while restoring confidence in AI services.

The future of livestock development in Pakistan depends on how effectively artificial insemination is utilized. With proper planning, disciplined implementation, and systematic support from provincial departments, universities, the private sector, and MNFSR, AI can help transform the dairy and meat sectors by producing higher-yielding, healthier, and more productive animals. Artificial insemination in Pakistan began in the 1970s, and while institutional capacity exists, the country has so far failed to fully harness its potential. By strengthening AI services, supporting farmers, promoting modern reproductive practices, eliminating inadequate short-term courses, and allowing only two-year nationally standardized AI programmes recognized by provincial livestock departments, Pakistan can significantly increase milk and meat production, improve fertility rates, and build a more productive, sustainable, and competitive livestock sector.

Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik
Advisor Veterinary Sciences,University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Swat
Former Secretary / Registrar,Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council