CIBR Hisar achieves a milestone, clones 8 calves to improve buffalo breed

New Delhi: The Central Institute for Buffalo Research (CIBR), Hisar has achieved a milestone in the history of buffalo cloning as the institute successfully produced 7 cloned calves from one bull M-29 and recloned the Hisar Gaurav cloned bull. 

The CIBR has claimed that when these buffalo calves will become grown-up bulls, they will together be able to contribute 10 to 15 lakh semen doses which will help in extending the milk production in India.

Dr Satbir Singh Dahiya, Director, CIRB Hisar, told Zee News that these calves have been created through cloning and added "If we talk about the global scenario, experiments on animal cloning have been done only in three countries." India's name will now be on the forefront if we look at the CIBR's achievement, he added. 

The CIBR today formally confirmed the production of 8 cloned buffalos. Of these, 7 calves are cloned from M2-9 breed, and recloning of the Hisar Gaurav cloned bull. All these clones are born between October 2019 and January 2020.

Dr Prem Singh Yadav, Head of Cloning Team, CIRB Hisar, said that Murra breed of Haryana has no match in the milk production all over the world. There are about 11 crore Murra buffalos in India comprising over 56% of the total population in the world. 

Dr Yadav further said, "These calves are created through the cloning process. Scientists of the institute took two to three years to complete the process. The cloning process for animals in India started from National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal in 2009, and then comes the CIRB at Hisar, where the latest tissues are used in the lab for cloning process and then the same is implanted in a buffalo's womb."

These calves after 3 years will become a bull to produce semen which will help in the improvement of buffalo breed in the country. The farmers will also benefit as their milk production will get a boost with improved breeds, said the institute officials.

In the coming days, these cloned bulls are also expected to help India in record production of semen doses for producing the best quality animals.

The latest experiment in animal cloning will also help farmers in the field of milk production.