World’s First Cloned Buffalo Calf Born

Karnal Scientists Clone Buffalo at NDRI

February 12, 2009
New Delhi
Scientists of Animal Biotechnology Centre, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal have
developed the landmark technique i.e. “Handguided Cloning Technique” and produced the
world's first cloned buffalo calf. This technique is simpler and is an advanced modification of
the “Conventional Cloning Technique” which was used for the production of the cloned
sheep “Dolly”. The conventional technique required sophisticated and expensive
equipments like micromanipulators etc.

This new technique is less demanding in terms of equipment, time and skill. In this
technique the oocytes isolated from abattoir ovaries were matured in vitro, denuded, treated
with an enzyme to digest the zona and then enucleated with the help of handheld fine
blade. Then somatic cell from ear of a donor buffalo was propagated to be used as donor-
nuclei. Then the enucleated oocytes and donor-nuclei were electro fused, cultured, grown in
the laboratory and the resultant embryos were transferred to recipient buffaloes for the
production of the calf of desired gender. One of the biggest advantages of this technique is
that the calf of desired sex can be obtained.

The world's first buffalo calf through the “Handguided Cloning Technique” was born on
February, 6, 2009 at NDRI, Karnal. The team members viz: Dr. S. K. Singla, Dr. R. S.
Manik, Dr. M. S. Chauhan, Dr. P. Palta, Dr. R. A. Shah and A. George, were jubilant at their
success and are hopeful that this technique will lead to an new era in animal science for
faster multiplication of superior germ plasm.

Dr. Mangala Rai, Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi ,
congratulated the team and said that new technology of “Handguided Cloning” will go a long
way to face the challenge of increasing demand of milk in view of growing human
population in the country. Dr. K. M. Bujarbaruah, Deputy Director General (Animal Science),
ICAR also congratulated the team and emphasized that there is an acute shortage of
outstanding bulls and the technology of hand guided cloning can decrease this gap and
supply the elite bulls in the shortest possible time.

Dr. A. K. Srivastava, Director, NDRI, said that in India , we have the largest population of the
best buffaloes in the world. However, the percentage of elite animals is very low and there is
an urgent need to enhance the population of these elite buffaloes and the technology
developed at our Institute has the potential to do so. Dr. S. L. Goswami, Joint Director
(Research) also highlighted that new technology is the need of the hour.

(PR UNIT/FEB/2009)
Source:

http://www.icar.org.in/news/World-First-Cloned-Buffalo-Calf-Born.htm

and

http://www.rediff.com/news/2009/feb/12indian-scientists-clone-worlds-first-buffalo-
calf.htm

and

http://www.ndri.res.in/