China has successfully cloned a rare cattle species which is on the verge of extinction, the project's undertakers announced Monday in Beijing.

The cloning project was done jointly by the Chinese University of Agriculture (CUA), the Beijing Jiyinda Science and Technology Co. and the Lutai farm in north China's Hebei Province. They used stem cell cloning technology to give birth to the animal in order to sustain the genetic resources of the thoroughbred.

Boeve was born on April 27 by Caesarean operation.

Professor Li Ning of the CUA said that the cattle of Hebei Province is a good breed of beef cattle. In the 1970s, there were thousands of the pure-blood cattle in Hebei. However, cross-breeding with foreign breeds have dramatically brought down the number of thoroughbreds.

The cell nucleus containing genetic materials was taken from the ovary and ear of a six-month-old cow of the rare breed, Li said.

After five batches of cloning tests, the research team has made a technological breakthrough with a pregnancy rate of over 50 percent, Li said.

Tests show that the genetic materials in Boeve's cells are identical to those of her genetic supplier, Li said.

The professor announced that at least 20 cloned cattle will be born after June 11.

The project is sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology. With governmental support, Chinese scientists have also scored major breakthroughs in cloning some other species of animal.

(People's Daily May 28, 2002)