Cow clones could make cheese production easier

NEW ZEALAND – The world’s first cow clones have been created in New Zealand that produce a special milk claimed to increase the speed and ease of cheese production.

The nine cows, produced by a team at AgResearch in Hamilton, have increased levels of caseins. These improve processing and heat stability. Scientists hope that the research will transform the cheese industry and lead to significant savings in processing costs.

Developing the cows involved adding an additional copy of the gene that produced casein to lift the protein content of their milk. The researchers are also using cloned cows for medical research on diseases such as multiple sclerosis. However, opponents of genetically modified food are already questioning the safety of using clones for food products and the researchers have stated that further tests on the milk are needed.