The first cloned native Tibetan pig in the southwestern autonomous region of China has given birth to its first litter of nine purebred piglets.
According to regional media, the nine piglets were born on December 8, weighing an average of 0.55 kg to 0.7 kg each. All nine have dark black fur, crystal-like eyes, and strong, stable limbs, and they are assessed to have good growth conditions.
The first nine purebred native Tibetan piglets. (Photo: Chinadaily).
The native Tibetan pig breed primarily resides in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This rare breed from the plateau is part of China’s indigenous livestock. They live in cold mountainous regions and are well adapted to high-altitude climates.
Previously, in December 2020, the first cloned Tibetan pig was born, marking the successful application of somatic cell cloning technology for the first time in the Tibetan Plateau region.
Subsequently, this cloned pig was successfully mated and conceived in mid-August 2021. After 114 days of pregnancy, the first piglets were born on December 8, 2021.
The birth of the cloned somatic cell Tibetan pig and the successful delivery of piglets demonstrate that Chinese livestock scientists have mastered the method of freezing somatic cells to protect the genetic resources of native pig breeds, as well as to ensure long-term preservation and thawing of genetic materials from local pigs to build a more complete gene protection technology system.
