Female goat cloned to boost cashmere wool production.
A rare Himalayan goat in Kashmir has been cloned by scientists in order to increase numbers of the animal, who is coveted for its undercoat used to make cashmere.
The birth of “Noori”, which means “light” in Arabic, on 9th March could trigger breeding programs across the regions, which is expected to increase mass production of the expensive pashmina wool, said lead project scientist Dr. Riaz Ahmad Shah, a veterinarian in the animal biotechnology centre of Sher-i-Kashmir University.
Cashmere wool is often made into shawls and is a primary source of income for the Indian-controlled Kashmir, bringing in about $80 million a year.
A shawl, which costs $200 in Kashmir, is sold for much more abroad.
Cashmere goats, which are herded across the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau, must live in harsh windy climates in order to produce the soft undercoat.
However, experts say that cashmere goats are becoming endangered, resulting in the country buying cashmere from China to keep up with orders.
Dr. Maajid Hassan, another veterinarian who was involved on the project, told reporters, “This is the cheapest, easier and less time-consuming’ method of cloning, compared with conventional methods that use high-tech machinery and sometimes chemicals, Shah said. Noori is the first cashmere goat cloned by this method, though Shah earlier cloned a buffalo.”
