A team of Chinese scientists has successfully cloned a yak, marking a significant milestone in biotechnology and livestock breeding in high-altitude regions. The cloned calf was born via cesarean section on Thursday at a yak breeding base in Damxung County, located in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.
Weighing in at 33.5 kilograms at birth, the calf is heavier than most newborn yaks. With a completely black coat, the healthy calf was able to stand and walk shortly after birth, according to the researchers involved in the project.
The initiative began in July 2023 as a collaboration between a research team from Zhejiang University in eastern China, the Damxung County government, and the Institute of Plateau Biology of Xizang Autonomous Region. Utilizing whole-genome selection and somatic cell cloning technologies, the scientists aimed to enhance yak breeds and establish a robust breeding system suitable for the high-altitude conditions of Xizang.
“Cloning technology will play a key role in improving yak breeds and building a sustainable livestock system in our region,” said Fang Shengguo, leader of the Zhejiang University research team. “This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for the development of animal husbandry on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.”
Yaks are native to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and are essential to the livelihood of local herding communities. They provide meat, milk, and other products, and are integral to the plateau’s ecosystem. Enhancing yak breeds through biotechnology could significantly impact food security and the economy in these high-altitude regions.
