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Rediff.com  » News » In PHOTOS: The world's first cloned pashmina goat
This article was first published 12 years ago

In PHOTOS: The world's first cloned pashmina goat

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 13:05 IST

Image: Kashmir scientists successfully cloned the world's first pashmina goat
Photographs: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com

Scientists at the Kashmir Agriculture University have produced the world's first cloned pashmina goat.

"The faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry Sheri Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology has made a breakthrough by successfully cloning the first pashmina goat using the advanced reproductive techniques under the leadership of Dr Riaz Ahmad Shah, associate professor, Centre of Animal Biotechnology," an official statement said.

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The world's first cloned pashmina goat

Image: A team of Kashmiri scientists pose with clone at the Sheri Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology
Photographs: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com

At the time of its birth, the unnamed pashmina clone had a weight of 1.3kg, considered normal.

"Success was achieved under the World Bank-funded project called the National Agricultural Innovation Project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and took two years for standardisation of the technique. The healthy female kid was born on March 9 using a foster mother," the statement said.

The world's first cloned pashmina goat

Image: The project was funed by the World Bank
Photographs: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com

"Dr Riaz was the key researcher in the team of scientists who earlier in 2009 gave the first cloned buffalo calf -- Garima -- to the world using the same handmade cloning technique while conducting research at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana," the statement said.

The world's first cloned pashmina goat

Image: A nomad woman weaves Pashmina at Taglang La in the Ladakh region
Photographs: Reuters

Dr Tej Partap, vice chancellor, SKUAST and other officials of the university appreciated the team of scientists for this remarkable achievement and hoped that the technology will help harness better income opportunities for the people, especially those from the Ladakh region.

The world famous pashmina shawls are made from the wool of pashmina goats, which are reared in the cold desert region of Ladakh.

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