The dairy industry in China is on the verge of a major transformation. In a recent development, scientists at the Northwest University of Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology have cloned three calves capable of producing huge volumes of milk in their lifetime. This is part of China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on imports and minimize the risks associated with supply chain disruptions.
Super Cow Development
The three calves were cloned from the Dutch Holstein Friesian breed, known for its high milk production. The super cows can produce up to 18 metric tons of milk per year, and 100 tons of milk in their lifetime, as compared to the average milk-producing cow in the US, which produces 10.8 metric tons of milk per year. Only five in 10,000 of common cattle breeds in China can produce as much milk as a super cow, according to the scientists.
Breeding Super Cows
Super cows are difficult to breed since they are only identified at the end of their lives. The project lead, Jin Yaping, and his team used tissue from the cows’ ears to make an initial batch of 120 cloned embryos, 42% of which were successfully impregnated in surrogate cows, and 17.5% of which remained fertile after 200 days. One of the calves had the exact same skin pattern as its predecessor, according to the scientists.
Building a Herd of Super Cows
Jin Yaping’s team aims to build a herd of over 1,000 super cows in the next two to three years. This will help bolster China’s local milk production, which has struggled to meet domestic demand amid surging feed costs. China also heavily relies on importing cattle from Europe.
Conclusion
The development of super cows in China is a significant breakthrough in the dairy industry. The cloned cows have the potential to meet China’s increasing demand for milk and reduce its dependence on imports. With plans to build a herd of over 1,000 super cows, the future of the dairy industry in China looks bright.