The first and largest batch of cloned milking cows are expected to be born in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region next June, signaling the birth of a new product to be added to the dairy market, according to Lu Zili, head of the scientific institute of Xinjiang Gold Cow Biological Co., Ltd.

Eighty Percent of Shanghai Citizens Say No to Cloned Food Products

The news has caused some debate among ordinary citizens. According to a survey of 20 Shanghai people, 80 percent of them said they would never buy milk from cloned cows. The other 20 percent said they will consider buying cloned food products only after they have been convinced of the food's safety. In addition, the price of cloned food products will certainly be a key factor. For most citizens, cloned food products are the same as genetically modified foods. They believe it is safer to stay away from such controversial foods.

Scientist: Cloned Food Products Are Safe

According to Guo Lihe, head of the Cell Institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the nutrition and quality of milk from cloned cows is exactly the same because cloning, a method of asexual reproduction, can preserve a better gene matrix. Even if some genetic freaks are caused by anomalies during the procedure they will die young or be aborted during the middle stages of the process. Those which eventually survive will constitute a superior breed.

Guo also said cloned food products and the controversial genetically modified foods are two different concepts. The cloning of productive milking cows will not only raise the output of milk but also improve the quality of China's livestock products.

Background

At present, Xinjiang Gold Cow Biological Co., Ltd has successfully transplanted 479 embryos of milking cows. The embryos of cloned milking cows are all from two Holstein milking cows with an annual milk output of 20 tons. It is reported that this experiment began in July of this year under the instruction of Dr. Chan Hongwu and his wife, experts from Australian company Clone International, owners of the " Dolly sheep" patent.

Although 479 milk cows have been transplanted with the embryos of productive milking cows, it doesn't mean all of them will be successfully born next year. Lu Zili said the pregnancy rate of cloned milking cows has reached a comparatively high level of 50 percent. However, the final survival rate of the cloned cows is estimated to be only 10 percent due to the high rate of abortions. Therefore, at least 50 high productive milking cows will be born next June according to conservative estimates.

(china.org.cn translated by Wang Qian, November 20, 2002)