West Texas A&M University has reached a milestone in the third year of their cattle cloning project–13 calves born of clones.
The calves are the offspring of a cloned bull and three cloned heifers developed from Prime Yield Grade 1 carcass muscle tissue more than three years ago.
“We believe we have achieved a ‘world’s first’ event with the birth of the Alpha X Gamma calves,” said Ty Lawrence, associate professor of Animal Science and a researcher on the project. “They may be the first offspring of the bovine species in which both parents are clones of carcasses.”
Researchers treat the calves as they would any other commercial cattle.
“The value will be in the cattle performing under normal conditions and ultimately their performance in the feed yard and on the table will determine the success of the project,” Dr. Dean Hawkins, acting dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, said.
Researchers are hoping the clones’ offspring will now yield the same high-quality beef the carcasses their parents were cloned from possess.
Some of the calves will soon be taken to the university’s feedlot. They’ll later be harvested and studied.