Comparative evaluation of production performances of cloned pigs derived from superior Duroc boars

Since pig was successfully cloned in 2000, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) became a promising technique in preserving and expanding the genetics of superior boars. Assessing the safety, growth performance, and reproductive performance of cloned pigs and their progeny is critical for their wide application. In this study, three superior Duroc boars were used to construct 61,736 SCNT-cloned embryos. The semen quality and reproductive performance of the cloned Duroc pigs and the growth performances of their progeny were evaluated. Results showed that the cloned pigs derived from superior boars produced semen with normal quality and exhibited similar reproductive performance as the donor boars, whose progenies showed greater growth performance than those derived from non-cloned pigs under the same feed condition. The results shed light on the application of cloning technology in the conservation and expansion of the genetic resources of Duroc pigs. •Comparative evaluation of reproductive performances of cloned Duroc pigs.•Progenies derived from superior Duroc boars showed better growth traits.•The variability of some traits was reduced in the F1 progeny of the clones.•SCNT technology is capable of keeping the inheritance of superior gene.