The first cloned female cow in Russia, successfully gave birth to a healthy calf. This new achievement in the field of biotechnology was presented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Russia.
According to the ministry, the 40-kilogram calf was born on December 30, 2022. Scientists edited the cow's genome to be able to 'create' a cloned cow that could give birth.
"Genomic editing technology can only be developed when cloned animals are able to give birth to viable offspring. That is why the birth of the first calf by a cloned cow is a great achievement for Moscow scientists," said Georgy Filimonov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Moscow region in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture and Russian Food, quoted from the Russian news agency TASS, Monday (16/1/2023).
"The animals are healthy and comfortable under around-the-clock supervision by veterinarians," he continued.
Russia's first cloned cow was born at the Federal Research Center for Animal Breeding in April 2020 using somatic cell nuclei as donors.
The Russian Ministry of Agriculture and Food explains that somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) using genetically modified somatic cells is currently seen as the main technological platform for genome editing of cattle and other farm animals.
"That is why specialists are carrying out research to improve a very important stage of the technology chain," the ministry said.