China Clones First Dzo, Marking Breakthrough in High-Altitude Breeding

Chinese scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough by successfully cloning the world's first somatic cell-cloned dzo in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China. This accomplishment represents a major advancement in high-altitude breeding technology, crucial for enhancing plateau livestock and protecting endangered species.

The newborn male calf, weighing 26 kilograms, was delivered via caesarean section. Genetic testing confirmed that it is a precise genetic replica of the donor dzo. The calf has been thriving for over two months. This achievement was a collaborative effort involving the Institute of Animal Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the academy of agricultural and animal husbandry sciences, the animal husbandry and veterinary station in Xizang, China Agricultural University, and Northeastern University.

The research team emphasized that the experiment adhered to ethical guidelines and received approval from relevant authorities. The lead researcher, Yu Dawei, highlighted that this marks the first successful application of somatic cell cloning on the plateau for the conservation and utilization of locally adapted genetic resources.

Dzos, hybrids of female yaks and male cattle, are uniquely adapted to the harsh Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and offer significant economic advantages. They are known for their high dairy output, meat yield efficiency, nutritional value, and strong draft capabilities, making them more valuable than conventional plateau cattle. The infertility of male dzos has been a major obstacle to fully realizing these advantages, hindering the natural propagation of their desirable genetics.

The researchers extracted somatic cells from the ear of a nine-year-old adult dzo. The cell nucleus was then transferred into an enucleated cattle egg cell to create a cloned embryo. This embryo was implanted into a surrogate dzo cow, which carried the pregnancy through the challenging high-altitude conditions. The calf was born on May 12 at a county experiment station in Lhasa.

Yu stated that this cloning technology allows for the stable inheritance of desirable traits, such as high yield and environmental resilience, paving the way for mass propagation of high-quality breeding stock. The team overcame the scientific challenges of cloning in a high-altitude, low-oxygen environment through technical innovations, including a specialized plateau-adapted embryo culture system and optimized protocols for surrogate mother selection.

The validated system opens up possibilities for gene banking and potential future restoration of other endangered plateau species, such as Tibetan antelope and wild yaks, within their native habitats. This is expected to establish a crucial technological safeguard for highland biodiversity.