Kashmir varsity produces world's first cloned pashmina goat

Scientists at the agricultural university in the Jammu and Kashmir capital have successfully produced the world's first cloned pashmina goat, a statement said Tuesday.

Giving details about the breakthrough made by scientists at the local Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), a statement issued by the university said Tuesday: "Faculty of veterinary sciences and animal husbandry SKUAST-Kashmir has made a breakthrough by successfully cloning the first pashmina goat using the advanced reproductive techniques."The statement said success was achieved under the World Bank-funded project called National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and took two years for standardization of the technique.

"The healthy female kid was born on March 09, 2012 using the foster mother. 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 doing research at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, Haryana.

"Tej Pratap, vice chancellor of the university, appreciated the team of scientists for the achievement and hoped that the technology will help improve the lot of pashmina goats particularly in the Ladakh region to harness better income opportunities for the people of the region.Some of the world's most priced pashmina shawls are made of wool obtained from the pashmina goats reared in Kashmir.