Chinese scientists have succeeded in cloning cows for the first time to reduce dependence on imported dairy cows.
As China’s middle-class population grows, the demand for products such as milk and various seeds is increasing. According to an article in the Global Times, China has to import 70 percent of its dairy cow population from overseas.
Shortly after the pandemic, China increased its dairy imports from the US. In 2021, China’s dairy imports from America increased by 75 percent.
Chinese New Solution: Cow Cloning
Chinese scientists have succeeded in cloning cows for the first time to reduce dependence on imported dairy cows.
Scientists from China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region recently cloned three Holstein Friesian cows.
The cows were cloned using tissue from a Holstein Friesian, known as a “super cow”, a dairy cow with very high milk production.
Holsteins are known for their milk production, and the super cows will now be able to produce around 16,000 liters of milk per year thanks to cloning.
Northwest A&F University scientists took a sample from the ear of a super cow and used it to create clones.
Milk Production Will Increase Substantially
According to the Global Times article, such cloning efforts could greatly increase the country’s milk production.
Few cows are considered “super cows,” and China is trying to preserve the genes of these animals to support its high-yielding herd.
Project leader Jin Yaping told the Global Times that reproductive technology is used in conjunction with cloning technology and embryos are placed in low-yielding surrogate mothers.
The combination of breeding and cloning technology resulted in the successful birth of three calves. The first experiment produced 120 cloned embryos, of which roughly 50 were implanted into surrogate mothers.
More than 10 Thousand Clone Cows on the Way
Jin said that as the clones are successful, scientists will work over the next few years to create a herd of more than 10,000 super cows.
