CIRB Hisar becomes second institute to clone buffalo in India

Scientists at the Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) in Hisar, Haryana have successfully produced a cloned buffalo offspring named ‘Cirb Gaurav’.
CIRB scientists have achieved this feat under the project entitled- Cloning for conservation and multiplication of superior buffalo germplasm.
Key facts

• Cirb Gaurav cloned buffalo calf is distinct from the earlier clones produced in India. It has been produced from cells of ventral side of tail of superior bull buffalo.
• The ventral side of tail was chosen because it is least exposed to sunlight and might have less mutation rate.
• This part also can be a good choice to produce healthy clones by isolating donor cells.

With this achievement, CIRB becomes the India’s second and world’s third institute to produce cloned buffalo. Karnal (Haryana) based National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) was the India’s first institute to produce a cloned calf.
Cloning: Process of creating genetically identical copies of biological matter. It may include genetically identical copies of genes, cells, tissues or entire organisms.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2016