The National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in kar have successfully cloned a female buffalo named 'Lalima'.
The young calf has been produced by a new technology called 'hand guided cloning technique'. Even though this news was released on Monday, the calf was actually born earlier this month on May 2. The institute has been instrumental in the process of buffalo cloning as they were the worlds first to produce a cloned buffalo calf in the year 2009.
The institute that has produced 6 other buffaloes before has come a long way ahead with their new technology. Lalima is healthy born and weighs 42 kilograms. The calf was produced after a standard gestation period without any help.
She has been born with the help of a donor cell taken from the ear of an elite Murrah buffalo. A The Murrah breed of water buffalo usually kept specifically for diary production kept. It has been known worldwide to improve the milk production of dairy buffalo in countries, such as Italy, Bulgaria and Egypt. It has twice the yield as that of an ordinary buffalo. A good murrah can contribute to about 2 lakh worth of earning.
This invention has been appreciated for it would solve the increasing challenge in the country for the demand of milk. India is known for having the largest population of buffalos that contribute to milk production. Yet with the growing Indian population, and milk being an important dairy product there is a need for the increase in buffalo population.
Out of the previous 6 cloned buffaloes, 3 have already died, not being able to survive in the natural habitat. However, this new technology of 'hand guided cloning technique', serves as a hope for futuristic inventions to meet the increasing demand of milk.
