Qitai Uses Embryo Transfer Technology to Breed New Red Deer Varieties

Applying embryo transfer technology to the breeding of Tianshan red deer will cause a sensation in China's wildlife conservation community. On December 18, 2003, **Ma Mingkui, director of the Qitai Forest Farm, pointed to the red deer at the red deer breeding farm and told reporters: "No. 366, No. 66, and No. 399, these 3 red deer are all pregnant." This work began in September 2003, and a total of 13 red deer underwent embryo transfer. They are all red deer from the Qitai Forest Farm red deer breeding farm. This farm is also China's only Tianshan red deer germplasm protection and breeding base. Researchers from Tarim Agricultural University served as the technical guidance for this work. If all goes well, the young red deer will be born in May or June 2004. Generally speaking, the reproduction rate of Tianshan red deer is around 50%, and the farm staff hope that through embryo transfer methods, the red deer breeding rate can be increased to 60%-70%.

At present, the variety improvement work for red deer has a long cycle, and breeding excellent young red deer may also take several generations. If embryo transfer technology matures, it may be possible to complete it in just one generation. The significance of this attempt is great. Once this technology succeeds, it may provide reference for the breeding and variety improvement work of other wild animals, and its significance for wildlife protection is by no means insignificant.