President Droupadi Murmu on Monday visited the National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, Haryana, where she met with ‘Ganga’, India’s first cloned Gir cow.
Here we simplify the complex science of cloning and analyse its potential advantages in livestock breeding. (ALSO READ: Karnal NDRI scientists produce two more elite cloned buffalo calves)
Understanding the science behind cloning
Ganga was born at the facility on March 16. The cloning was accomplished by a process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), which involves replacing the genetic material in an egg cell with genetic material from another cell.
To carry out the cloning, the scientists first acquired eggs from living cows. The eggs were extracted from the cow’s ovaries using ultrasound-guided needles. The eggs were then matured in a controlled laboratory environment for 24 hours.
They then collected somatic cells from elite cows. Somatic cells are any cells in the body that do not reproduce, such as skin or muscle cells. These cells provided the genetic material for the cloning process. The scientists transplanted the nucleus of a somatic cell into an enucleated egg cell that had its genetic material removed.
The scientists chemically activated the cell after fusing the somatic cell nucleus with the enucleated egg cell, causing it to divide and grow into an embryo. The embryos were then cultivated in vitro (usually in a test tube), for several days until they reached the blastocyst stage. At this stage there is ball of cells that has divided several times and is ready to be implanted in the uterus.
Finally, the blastocysts were implanted into surrogate cows, who carried the embryos to term and gave birth to the cloned Gir calf.
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What is the advantage of cattle cloning?
1. Animal cloning has the potential to aid in the rapid reproduction of elite animals as well as the conservation of endangered breeds.
2. Its goal is to increase the number of indigenous breeds in the country. The NDRI-Karnal, in partnership with the Uttarakhand Livestock Development Board (ULDB), Dehradun, began work on cloning indigenous cows such as Gir, Sahiwal, and Red Shindi in 2021.
3. With more quality cattle, India will be able to increase its milk production capability. Notably, the scientists say that cloned and normal cattle have the same milk production capacity.
4. Gir cows, a native breed of Gujarat, are popular among dairy farmers due to docile nature, good milk, tolerance to stress, and resilience to several tropical diseases.
Gir cattle have also been exported to Brazil, the United States, Mexico, and Venezuela.
5. The indigenous technique developed will herald new developments in the Indian dairy sector.
