Mirror, Mirror
A Look at ViaGen/Encore Cloning Process
When we left off last we were in a world we only once imagined to be possible. A world full of giant roaming reptiles and man eating beasts. Oh, sorry that was the movie Jurassic Park and we are on the subject of horse cloning. Still unbelievable to some, this is a modern day miracle to others.
When we last left off, we were explaining the cloning process, what results you could expect, challenges in the cloning process and the general acceptance of cloned horses by breed registries. As we mentioned in Part One, at this time none of the major registries allow papers on cloned horses. However, the national DNA Registry in Yukon. Okla., will register all cloned foals with the appropriate DNA documentation.
There are still many more questions concerning this process that we have to look at. Questions about the morality of cloning. Who can afford to clone? What are the benefits? Who will regulate the cloning industry? Should cloning be for endangered species only? Isn’t natural breeding the best way? What about inbreeding and other issues? Well, let’s look at these questions and more one at a time.
Cloned horses at this time can compete with a number of sport organizations, including the most notable, the National Cutting Horse Association. However, the actual purpose of cloning is to preserve genetics, not make improvements on genetics. Due to this fact it is highly unlikely that the competitive arena will be a proving ground for cloned animals. The value of a clone should be established by the performance of the donor.
Here is a little more background on Encore Genetics, Ltd. Based in Weatherford, Texas, Encore Genetics serves a worldwide base of horse breeders interested in preserving the superior genetics of their stock and producing animals that are genetically identical to top performers in both the show arena and the breeding barn. Encore partners Jim Ware and Milt Bradford have extensive experience in the marketing, sales and promotion of performance horses, as well as breeding and pedigree analysis. Brad Stroud, DVM, is a true pioneer and foremost authority in embryo transfer, commercial IVF and ultrasound.
When this article was written there was no government oversight of cloning. It is most likely that breed registries, the US Department of Agriculture and the FDA will eventually monitor cloning since they already monitor activities involving livestock and horses. Because there is no regulations at this time it is very important to contact a reputable and established firm like ViaGen/Encore Genetics for services.
ViaGen/Encore Genetics feel that cloning can also preserve genetics in a species of domesticated animals, and that this may be the greatest contribution of this technology. The note for example, some of the truly great old bloodlines of principle breeds of horses have been lost through generations of line breeding and cross breeding. From that perspective, it may be as important to preserve genetic excellence from extinction, as it is to preserve entire species.
They also feel that there is no reason to believe that cloning will create inbreeding problems any more than other forms of assisted reproduction. In fact, they feel cloning may actually help prevent inbreeding because it will make it possible to breed animals that before were unable to breed and therefore introduce new genetics to our breeds. In addition, cloning may preserve a greater diversity of bloodlines over time. Breed integrity is an important issue for breeders, and ViaGen/ Encore Genetics can bet that they will remain vigilant about maintaining the integrity of our bloodlines.
There are many implications when it comes to natural breeding over assisted reproduction. Some say that assisted reproduction is safer for the mare and stallion while also preventing injuries to handlers. These technologies have been used for years and cloning is just the latest technology available.
Some people believe that cloned horses will be more susceptible to illness and disease. Reviews conducted by the National Academy of Sciences found that “the health and well being of somatic cell clones approximated those of normal individuals as they advance into the juvenile stage. Somatic cell cloned cattle reportedly were physiologically. immunologically and behaviorally normal.” Furthermore cloned foals, after 24 hours of birth, are no more susceptible to illness and disease than their brothers and sisters created through natural or traditional breeding practices. There is also no scientific reason why clones should not grow and age like a naturally bred horse. Therefore, cloned horses should also live to a typical horses life expectancy.
Think you may want to clone your own horse? Maybe you would like to gene pool them for future use. Well, here is where you can find more information about ViaGen’s cloning opportunities. Please call ViaGen toll free at 866-878-1301 to speak with a representative about their cloning services. You may also visit their web site at
ViaGen certainly has the technology as well as the experience to quickly identify important genetic traits for any species regardless of whether such data yet exists. They can also screen individual animals for these traits and to then use this data to develop an efficient, state of the art genetic improvement program. This includes the ability to identify the desired traits such as those related to quality, yield and uniformity and perpetuate them through advanced reproductive technologies ranging from in vitro fertilization to animal cloning.
I hope this series helped you better understand cloning and the cloning process. I would like to thank Nancy Hood, Vice President and Director of Public Relations of The Inter Group for her assistance in this series of articles.
Written by: Sherri L. Barclay
Barclays Arabians
