Cloned carabao coming soon? RP's scientists

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ - K-18 AND H-4.

They are the identifying tags for two of the super dairy water buffaloes at the gene pool of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) here.

They are among the herd of imported Bulgarian buffaloes maintained by the PCC for the improvement of the carabao breed in the country. Based on records, they produce from a low of 12 liters and a peak of 18 liters of milk a day during their lactation period. Decidedly, they are
very superior compared to the native carabaos which produce an average of 1.5 liters of milk a day.

Scientists of PCC have started the process of producing precise copies of K-18 and H-4. It is thru the cloning technology.

To be exact, this PCC’s project, according to Dr. Libertado Cruz, the agency’s executive director, is “cloning thru somatic cell nuclear transfer”. It is cloning thru the use of a body cell.

(Cloning is defined as a means of making copies of individual or the production of large number of dentical offspring. Cloning by nuclear transfer involves the transfer of genetic material from a donor cell (karyoplast) to the cytoplasm of a matured oocyte from which the nucleus, which contains the genetic materials, has been removed. This matured oocyte whose nucleus has been removed is known as the recipient cytoplast. Somatic means bodily or corporeal.)

Reproductive biotechnology


“Our aim is to develop an efficient system for the production of clones toward genetic improvement of the water buffaloes in the country,” Cruz said. “It is in addition to the
reproductive biotechnologies already successfully researched and now being used by the PCC,” he added.

The first major tool employed in reproduction by the PCC, Cruz said, were estrus synchronization and artificial insemination using frozen semen. This, however, required considerable time to attain a purebred animals thru a series of backcrossing.

This was followed by in vitro maturation-in vitro fertilization.

To date, he said, several buffalo calves had already been produced thru in vitro embryo production technique coupled with embryo cryopreservation by vitrification and embryo transfer.

Cruz added that these biotechnologies are needed as ways of hastening reproduction of water buffaloes as this large animal species are known to have very poor reproductive performance. Compared to domestic cattle, he said, the water buffaloes have smaller ovarian
follicular populations.

(Incidentally, water buffalo is the general name for the animal which is commonly called in the country as “carabao”.)

Comes now the cloning technology thru somatic cell nuclear transfer as another biotechnology being researched by PCC.

Dr. Edwin Atabay, team leader of the project, bared that cloned embryos were already transferred last September 23 to three surrogate buffalo dams (mother). He added that as their work progresses, more cloned embryos would be transferred weekly to selected dams. -Anselmo S. Roque