Cloning sheep clones carries the genes of worms

Chinese scientists have cloned a sheep that mutates genes with 'good fat' - the type of fat that is usually found in fruits, seeds, fish and natural leaves.

Sheep 'Peng Peng' weighed 5.74kg when it was born on March 26 at a laboratory in Xinjiang.

"It is growing very fast and healthy like normal sheep , " said Du Yutao, a scientist at Beijing Gene Institute and research leader.

Du and his colleagues transplanted the gene C. elegans (a round worm) into the unfertilized egg of sheep and put it in the womb of a female lamb.

Previous studies have demonstrated that C. elegans's gene works to increase unsaturated fatty acids - a type of fat that is good for human health.

Sheep Peng Peng has just been born with cloning technology.

In recent years, China, which has to feed 22% of the world's population, is only 7% of cultivated land, investing heavily to increase grain productivity, meat and other agricultural products.

However, some people are concerned about the safety of genetically modified foods. And it will take a few more years before the meat of new genetically modified animals appears on the Chinese market.

"The Chinese government encourages gene intervention projects but we need better methods and results to prove genetically modified plants and animals are harmless and safe for consumption , " Du said.

The United States is the world leader in genetically modified crops. The government has allowed the sale of meat from cloned animals and their offspring because these products are indistinguishable from non-cloned animal meat.

Genetically modified salmon by AquaBounty, a biotech firm with the ability to grow twice as quickly as natural salmon, could be allowed by the US government this summer.

In contrast, New Zealand scientists decided last year to abandon a trial of asexual livestock production after 90% of all babies died for many reasons.

According to the report of AgResearch - New Zealand's scientific research agency, the main cause of mortality in this test herd is: natural miscarriage and fluid edema (uterine condition of cows) full of water). In addition, chronic arthritis, pneumonia, lameness, blood infection are also common causes of death in asexual cows, sheep and goats.

Reference: Metro