MATE’s new animal station helps pass on top genetic abilities

The Embryo Transplantation Center operating on MATE’s Kaposvári Campus is particularly important from the point of view of food safety, food health, and food supply of national strategic importance. At the moment, the facility mainly carries out bovine embryo transplants, but according to the plans, in the future they would also work with horses, red deer and fallow deer, as well as other small animals, which is also of particular importance from the point of view of gene preservation. There are currently six extremely valuable Holstein-Friesian cattle at the newly handed over livestock station. The main goal is to pass on their top genetic abilities, and for this the experts use a special technology. – We carry out a hormonal program, the last stage of which is the embryo washing, after which we select and qualify the embryos in the laboratory. We can transplant them immediately into the host animal, but it is also possible to freeze them, so we can use the embryos even later. said Dr. Zoltán Zomborszky, head of the Embryo Transplant Center.

They also pay attention to the welfare of the animals

One of the extraordinary advantages of the recently established animal station is that interventions can be carried out in a calm environment, safely and stress-free for the animals. Individuals born in this way with high genetic value can produce more milk or meat. – It is fundamentally important for MATE to use high technology in all areas, including animal husbandry. The work carried out at the Embryo Transplantation Center is also of particular importance from the point of view of food security and food supply, which increases the performance and competitiveness of Hungarian livestock breeding in the long term. – emphasized Dr. Csaba Gyuricza, rector of MATE. He added – Among the most important goals of MATE is that the research and results taking place at the institution are integrated into daily practice, since this is in the national economic interest in the production of food, plant, animal and processed products.

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