China: First GM Cow Carrying Human Defensin

The world's first GM cow carrying human defensin was C-birthed on 25^th November 2009 at the Yangling Keyuan Cow Farm in Shaan'xi by the researchers of the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University. They obtained highly expressed carriers of human defensin by combining human defensin genes with cow β-casein; injected the carriers into high yield cows' skin fiber forming cells; and got the GM cow through somatic cell cloning. Having a birth weight of 40.1 kg, the GM cow is healthy with shiny fur. In 2009, researchers have conceived 200 cows, with 42 becoming pregnant, for a 20% success rate. 18 more GM cows carrying human defensin will be born at the end of the year.

Source: China Science and Technology Newsletter, 30^th November 2009