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USA – HORSE CLONING TO BE DISCUSSED
Equine Cloning to be Discussed at Horse Expo
17 April 2007. Source: TheHorse.com
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=9407
via AgBioView from* AgBioWorld, http://www.agbioworld.org
Representatives from ViaGen will speak about the science of equine cloning and answer questions on the subject at this year's Western States Horse Expo, June 8-10 at the Cal Expo in Sacramento, Calif.
ViaGen, a livestock cloning company in Texas, in partnership with Encore Genetics (also in Texas), created the first commercial horse cloning operation in the United States. In 2006, the legendary cutting horse Royal Blue Boon became the first mare to be commercially cloned; the foal was named Royal Blue Boon Too. Shortly after that birth, a clone of the famous cutting horse mare Tap O Lena was born. Both foals were born on a farm in Purcell, Oklahoma.
With the creation of Royal Blue Boon Too, ViaGen and Encore Genetics have partnered to preserve some of the greatest genetics in cutting horse history. Royal Blue Boon, the donor mare, is the all-time leading producer of cutting horses in the world. At 26, the mare is at the end of her long and prosperous career and her productive days are well behind her. With that in mind, the owner of Royal Blue Boon, made the decision to clone her cutting horse champion.
Scamper, the legendary barrel racing gelding owned by Charmayne James, also has a clone.
The cloning process used with these horses is called nuclear transfer, in which DNA from a donor animal is gathered by taking a small tissue biopsy from the animal to be reproduced. This sample is shipped to ViaGen's laboratory where cells are grown in a culture. Then DNA from the donor's cells is transferred into eggs that have been stripped of their own genetic material. The new embryos are grown in an incubator for several days and then implanted into recipient mares. After a normal gestation period, the cloned foals are born.
"From the time I transferred the embryo into the recipient mare, these pregnancies were normal in every way and the births followed suit," said Jim Bailey, DVM, who oversaw the process with Royal Blue Boon and Tap O Lena. "The resulting foals were born normally and immediately stood to nurse. They bonded well with the recipient mares and continue to grow and play in the sun."
Whether or not you agree with cloning, come to the Horse Expo to learn from the ViaGen experts. Topics will include the cloning process, genetic preservation, and cost.
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