Xinjiang's first animal embryo factory production base was put into operation in Wensu, and the efficiency of breeding stock production has been significantly improved

China News Service, Wensu, Xinjiang, September 22 (Zhang Jiawei) The Aksu Animal Embryo Production and Transplantation Center, Xinjiang's first animal embryo factory production base, has so far produced 2,580 embryos and completed transplantation of more than 2,200 embryos, which are used for the expansion of improved breeds in breeding livestock and poultry farms in the Aksu region. The center uses technologies such as in vitro embryo production to increase breeding stock production efficiency by 40 to 50 times.

The center is located at the Zhe'a Meat Sheep Breeding Farm in Wensu County, Aksu Region, Xinjiang. It was jointly established by China Agricultural University, Aksu Regional Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center, Aksu Regional Central Agricultural University Joint Research Institute, Aksu Regional Animal Husbandry Technology Promotion Center, and Inner Mongolia Sainuo Breeding Sheep Technology Co., Ltd. The center was completed in June 2024 and began operation in November of the same year. It is a comprehensive institution integrating embryo production, scientific research and technology promotion.

According to Tang Shuhong, senior pastor of the Aksu Regional Animal Husbandry Technology Promotion Center, the center mainly carries out sheep embryo production and embryo transplantation, producing embryos of multiple breeds such as Duolang sheep, Suffolk sheep, and Taxkorgan sheep. The center focuses on in vitro embryo production technology, embryo transfer technology, embryo vitrification technology, and molecular auxiliary labeling technology as its research directions. It integrates and applies multiple breeding technologies to achieve factory-based in vitro embryo production.

Compared with traditional artificial insemination methods, embryo production technology can simultaneously unleash the reproductive potential of excellent rams and excellent ewes. Tang Shuhong said that according to the eight-year production cycle of a high-quality ewe, even if it produces two litters, it will only have 15 to 16 lambs at most. Using in vitro embryo technology, a sheep can obtain 17 usable eggs in one egg collection, and basically get 5 to 6 embryos. It can be done at least 15 times in a lifetime, and a total of 70 to 90 embryos can be obtained. The reproductive efficiency is greatly improved.

Tang Shuhong said that the production efficiency of breeding stock is 40 to 50 times higher than that of traditional methods, and the breeding cycle of new varieties has been shortened from 15 to 20 years to 5 to 8 years. The embryos currently produced have been transplanted to breeding livestock and poultry farms, and are mainly used to improve the efficiency of breeding improved seeds and serve farmers and herdsmen in the Aksu region. In the next step, the center will continue to carry out embryo breeding and resource protection work, cryopreserve excellent individual embryos, and use some embryos to improve livestock and poultry breeds.