Chinese Scientists Successfully Clone Yak

The cloned calf weighed 33.5 kg at birth, heavier than most yak newborns, according to the researchers.

Xinhua reporters saw the calf, which has a completely black coat, at the breeding base. It was able to walk and in good health.

The project began in July 2023 as a joint initiative by a research team from Zhejiang University in east China, the Damxung County government and the Institute of Plateau Biology of Xizang Autonomous Region.

The scientists used whole-genome selection and somatic cell cloning technologies to produce the cloned yak.

Fang Shengguo, who led the research team from Zhejiang University, said that cloning technology will play a key role in improving yak breeds and building a breeding system for high-altitude livestock in Xizang.

Yaks are endemic to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, serving as both key livelihood assets for local herding communities and an integral component of the plateau's ecosystem. 

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