The Hindu : International : World's first cloned buffalo in good shape

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 20, 2005

International

International

World's first cloned buffalo in good shape

BEIJING, MARCH 19. The world's first water buffalo, cloned from somatic cells in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is in good shape and healthy, the state media reported today.

The buffalo's heart rate, temperature and breathing were normal, it said.

About 30 minutes after birth on Thursday, the calf stood up and nursed, the head of the research project at Guangxi University, Shi Deshun, said.

The calf weighs 23 kg and is 86 cm long and 62.5 cm tall, Xinhua news agency reported.

The calf was cloned with ovary cells that were taken from an adult native buffalo and were transplanted into the 12-year-old female buffalo on April 10, 2004.

``The birth of the calf proves that our somatic cell clone technology is mature and this technology will greatly promote cattle breeding in China,'' Dr. Shi said.

``Our university has another two buffaloes pregnant with babies cloned with somatic cells and they are expected to be born this year,'' he said. Last November, a buffalo also gave birth to a cloned calf at the university, but the calf suffocated when amniotic fluid choked its respiratory system shortly after birth. — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

U.S. will not remain silent, N. Korea told

Bank staff upset over Wolfowitz nomination

Team to visit violence-hit Baloch towns

Judge to examine prior evidence against Jackson

Kennan, architect of U.S. Cold War policy

Oxford Union honours Kadirgamar

World's first cloned buffalo in good shape

G-8 accord on checking illegal logging

Adelaide, a destination for international students

Alarm as seabirds starve to death

Aid agencies to monitor tsunami relief work

Blast rocks Beirut

$1 billion aid for Haiti

U.K. Muslim groups welcome U.S. decision on Modi