Birth of IVF calf hailed as ‘significant’ step in making dairy industry greener
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Vets working on a project to breed more environmentally-friendly cows have described as “hugely significant” the birth of a calf using IVF, saying it could accelerate the dairy industry’s journey to net zero. The calf, named Hilda, is part the Dumfries-based Langhill Herd, which has been a source of data for the UK dairy industry for more than half a century.
Hilda is part of the Cool Cows project, which is aiming to breed cows that produce less of the greenhouse gas methane. As well as being the first in the 16th generation of the herd, Hilda is its first member to be born using IVF (in vitro fertilisation).
Scientists on the project said using the technique, which involved Hilda’s mother’s eggs being fertilised in a lab, meant the next generation of the herd arrived eight months earlier than was previously possible. With the process to be repeated, scientists said it would double the rate of “genetic gain” in the herd, and so speed up the process of selecting and breeding more “methane-efficient” animals.
Professor Richard Dewhurst, from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), which is one of the partners in the project, said: “With global consumption of dairy produce continuing to grow, breeding livestock for sustainability is extremely important. “The birth of Hilda is potentially a hugely significant moment for the UK dairy industry.
