Posted: May 22nd, 2023

Going to the second criteria which deal with the success rate of animal cloning

While it is true that animal cloning is an expensive procedure one can also say that when seen from the perspective of extinction and highly-prized animals such as racehorses or Holstein cows like Zita, the expenses that will be incurred in reproducing these special types of animals can be easily justified. If bald eagles for instance are about to go extinct many will not mind spending a great deal of money just to save them.

Going to the second criteria which deal with the success rate of animal cloning, we have come to know, based on the review of literature, that animal cloning does not guarantee a high rate of success. There are even those who concluded that the procedure is inefficient if compared to artificial insemination and natural means of reproduction. In the words of two researchers, “But the process is very inefficient, poorly understood and appears highly prone to epigenetic errors resulting in abnormal phenotypes.” (Wells & Laible, 2007). This conclusion must not be ignored. And yet even if there is a high mortality rate the usage of SCNT in animal breeding will still continue if the purpose is not simply to reproduce ordinary farm animals.

Going to the third criteria it has already been pointed out that the procedure is inefficient and that the offspring produced are prone to exhibit genetic errors. This is supposed to be the time when the program director will say that this project is not viable. But again, as one looks at the value of the animals being cloned there is no way that the program can be terminated soon. Scientists and their benefactors will continue to push with the project knowing that the high failure rate must not stop because if they stop then extinction becomes a real threat for some animals and for prized farm animals their usefulness will end in death.