Chinese scientists clone cashmere goat

Chinese scientists have successfully cloned over a dozen goats which produce the world famous cashmere fibre used to make high-end garments.

14 such goats were cloned between February and March this year to almost double their yield from 600 grams to 1,000 grams, Xinhua news agency reported.

The cloned goats carry the expressing gene of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), known by scientists to play a role in boosting fur growth, the official agency quoted Liu Shaoqing, manager of a farm in Inner Mongolia where the experiments are going on.

The official said 12 of the 14 goats were successfully cloned to carry a special gene to produce rich cashmere, an expensive fibre used to produce expensive and extra-warm garments.

Cashmere wool is also used to make expensive shawls in higher reaches of Tibet and Xinjiang.

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