Yangyang, a goat cloned by Chinese scientists last June, will deliver a kid in early August.
The news was announced by the China Yangling Cloned Animal Base in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
According to Wang Qianghua, a professor at the base, Yangyang has been pregnant for more than four months.
Wang said this proves that goats cloned from somatic cells and embryos can cross-fertilize and reproduce as normally as ordinary goats.
Yangyang is the second goat cloned from somatic cells at the base. The first, also a female, died from respiratory failure stemming from undeveloped lungs 36 hours after she was born.
Normally, a goat's gestation is five months.
What is interesting is that it is not clear yet who specifically is the would-be father as scientists had separated Yangyang from five cloned male goats amid fears that she was too young to give birth.
However, it surreptitiously carried on a clandestine love affair with one of the goats.
This was not known until the goat's abdomen become bigger than normal, which made it difficult for her to move.
According to Wang, the goat is currently in good health. The base is giving the goat special care to ensure that she gets enough nutrition.
(China Daily 07/27/2001)
