On July 10, a cloned Tibetan yak was delivered by cesarean section at a yak breeding center in Tibet, according to a report by News China.
Researchers noted that the cloned calf weighed 33.5 kilograms at birth, significantly more than most newborn yaks. The calf, with a completely black coat, was able to walk immediately after birth and is in good health. Chinese scientists utilized whole-genome selection and somatic cell cloning technologies to clone the yak.
A #cloned #yak was born via caesarean section on Thursday at a yak breeding base in Damxung County, southwest China's #Xizang Autonomous Region, researchers have said. The cloned calf weighed 33.5 kg at birth, heavier than most yak newborns, according to the researchers.Xinhua… pic.twitter.com/d6zIPUPqf9
— China News 中国新闻网 (@Echinanews) July 13, 2025
The preparation of this article relied on a news-analysis system.
“Cloning technology will play a key role in improving yak breeds and building a high-altitude cattle breeding system in Tibet,” said Fang Shengguo, who leads the research team from Zhejiang University, according to News China.
Yaks are endemic to Tibet, serving as an important means of livelihood for local pastoral communities and as an integral component of the plateau ecosystem. They provide meat, milk, and transportation, making them essential to the local economy and culture.
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.