Chinese scientists have successfully cloned cows that produce twice as much milk as an average cow.
Three calves were cloned in the Ningxia region by a team of scientists from the Northwest University of Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology on 22 January, state media reported.
Cloning is producing individual life forms with identical or similar DNA, either by natural or artificial means.
The calves were said to be cloned from “super cows” – which produce around 18,000 litres of milk each year.
The super cows are also reported to produce 100,000 litres of milk in their lifetime.
The average cow in the US produces 10,000 litres of milk each year, Business Insider reported.
The scientists claimed that only five in 10,000 cows can produce the same amount of milk as a super cow.
Basically, only five in every 10,000 cows are super cows.
The leader of the project, Jin Yaping, explained that super cows are only identified towards the end of their lives, making it difficult to breed them further.
Yaping added that he and his team “reincarnated” the super cows to boost milk production in China amidst a struggle to keep up with demand.
The cloning process happened by using tissue from the cow’s ears to make cloned embryos.
“We plan to take two to three years to build up a herd of over 1,000 super cows,” Yaping said.
Compiled by Dylan Bettencourt
Pictured above: A herd of cows
Image source: Pexels
