Production of a healthy farm-born calf by modified somatic cell nuclear transfer

The primary intention of somatic cell nuclear transfer in cattle is commercially driven, notably to generate genetically superior animals with desired phenotypic traits as breeding stock. The widespread application of bovine cloning has been hampered by technical difficulties to which recently introduced zona pellucida-free procedures may offer a solution. The most radical approach is so-called ‘handmade cloning’ which does not require micromanipulators because enucleation and nucleus transfer are both performed manually. Handmade cloning is a rapid and efficient technique that requires less expertise and time than traditional nuclear transfer methods and the cost of equipment is significantly less. Here, we report the birth of the first farm-born calf from a modified handmade cloning process, with success achieved at only the second attempt. While caution is warranted, this represents potentially the first viable cloning method for large-scale improvement of cattle breeding.