Silagreen International Agro Development Limited, a Nigerian agri-biotech firm, has unveiled the country’s first Embryo Transfer-born Girolando calf at the Harmony Farms centre in Odogbolu, Ogun State in South-western Nigeria.
The Chief Executive Officer of Silagreen International Agro Development Limited, Michael Akinruli, said in a statement that the arrival of the calf signalled a boost to the Nigerian Government’s food security drive and the dairy industry.
He described it as “a new era for dairy productivity in Nigeria, noting that the innovation will enhance livelihoods, as stable dairy income will strengthen the economic security of farming families and rural communities.
Akinruli revealed that the healthy female calf originated from the firm’s Advanced Tropical Genetic Improvement Programme, which is deployed at its embryo transfer centres.
“This healthy female Girolando calf represents the vanguard of a carefully managed cohort, with several more calves expected from the programme between now and March 2026,” he said.
Akinruli explained that Silagreen deployed Brazil’s cutting-edge embryo transfer technology to introduce superior tropical bovine genetics into Nigeria, adding that the calves would significantly lift milk output when they mature.
“These calves, when they reach maturity, will give 30–50 litres of milk daily,” he said.
He described the birth as more than a scientific milestone, noting that the Girolando breed, a hybrid of Holstein and Gyr, is well-suited to Nigeria’s climate due to its productivity and hardiness.
GIK/APA