Cloned calves die at California schools

The Associated Press

CHICO, Calif. (April 2, 2001 3:23 p.m. EDT) - Two of three recently
cloned heifers at the California State University, Chico, farm have died
and the third is sick and under close watch, officials said.

One of the three calves died at the farm last week. Another died over
the weekend at the University of California, Davis, which has also
participated in the cloning experiment.

The three heifers were born March 9 to two surrogate cows. A total of 28
cloned embryos were implanted into 14 surrogate Hereford cows. The three
calves were the only ones to survive.

Charles Crabb, dean of the university's college of agriculture, said the
cows probably died from a bacteria buildup in their stomachs.

"It is not uncommon for cloned animals to have problems with their
immune systems," Crabb said.

The two animals that have died came from the same surrogate mother. The
third animal is feverish and has been moved to UC Davis, Crabb said.

The animals were part of a cloning experiment done by Cyagra, a
Kansas-based biotechnology company. The cows were at Chico State to see