The import of buffalo embryos by China can significantly shorten the cycle of improving dairy buffalo breeds from 12 years in the past to three years.
Pakistan is set to export buffalo embryos to China. The only term the Chinese have put forward is that the embryos must meet its quarantine requirements.
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has zeroed in on buffalos in the epidemic-free ranch of the Royal Group in Punjab, Pakistan.
The Royal Group’s “Buffalo Breeding Project” is one of the first agricultural projects initiated under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The import of buffalo embryos by China can significantly shorten the cycle of improving dairy buffalo breeds from 12 years in the past to three years, says Chinese media, adding that the milk production of a single buffalo can be increased by more than threefold.
The Royal Group has established an in vitro embryo production factory and pastures in Pakistan and have recruited and trained local researchers and farm managers, and provided high-quality germplasm resources of milk buffalo to Pakistan. This has helped solve the issue of maintaining the local super buffalo resource.
In 2021, the Royal Group established Royal Cell Biotechnology (Pakistan) and officially launched the “Milk Buffalo Provenance Chip” strategy. In the following year, the Royal Cell in vitro embryo production plant was formally inaugurated.
Now, local technicians in Pakistan can produce hundreds of high-quality buffalo embryos in a week. The embryos will breed high-yielding milk buffalo herds and greatly increase buffalo milk production once they are introduced to China.
At present, a 10,000-head buffalo breeding ranch funded by Royal Group is currently under intensive construction. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by June 2024. The first phase will provide 3,000 recipient cattle for carrying out embryo transplantation of high-yield buffaloes from Pakistan. This initiative aims to rapidly breed the first batch of high-yield breeding herds in China.
