Chinese scientists claim to have cloned three "super cow" calves that, when fully grown, can produce 50% more milk than the ordinary American cow.
The cloning experiment began last year at Shaanxi's Northwest University of Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology. Scientists collected tissue from cows all throughout China and employed the somatic cell nuclear transfer method to generate embryos, which were then implanted in surrogate cows.
According to the Global Times, the calves were born healthy last month in Lingwu City. According to the Global Times, the first calf born weighed 120 pounds and measured 2' 6" tall. According to scientists, the calves have the same shape and skin pattern as the cows from which they were bred.
According to Chinese scientists, the calves will eventually generate 18 tonnes of milk every year, or 100 tonnes of milk in their lifetime. According to USDA data, the average cow in the United States produces over 12 tonnes of milk each year.
The so-called super cows were developed utilizing Holstein Friesian cows, a Dutch breed of cattle recognized for producing more milk than usual. Last year, Chinese scientists made news for cloning the world's first arctic wolf, but the super cow experiment has been hailed as another significant success by the experts, who also underlined how much China relies on cow imports.
China imports nearly 70% of its dairy cows from other nations in order to meet the expanding demand for milk and cheese. The country has over 6.6 million Holstein Friesian cows, but just five out of every 10,000 are capable of providing the large volume of milk, according to the Global Times.
Yaping Jin, the experiment's lead cattle veterinarian at Northwest A&F, told the Global Times that cloning will assist reinvigorate China's agriculture economy. Jin stated that his team's effort resulted in more than 100 cloned embryos being implanted into surrogates, with a pregnancy rate of roughly 18% after 200 days.
Meat and milk from a cloned cow are "as safe to eat as those from traditionally raised animals," according to FDA officials.
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