Embryo trade might boom

Press, 30 December 1980, Page 5

Embryo trade might boom

NZPA staff correspondent , London The recent relaxation of British regulations on : the import of animal embryos could boost New Zealand sales in Britain. The regulations ■ have been sufficiently stringent to discourage New Zealand exporters from sending embryos to Britain according to New Zealand officials. The final barrier was a British demand for stringent tests for leptospirosis; this has been replaced with a requirement that instead, all animals receive an antibiotic injection. Embryo implants have been a growing industry over the last decade and are seen by some agriculturalists as the key to breeding stock

I in the future. Fertilised embryos can be taken from ‘top-quality stock anywhere in the world, then implanted in foster animals which eventually give birth to the fully-grown foetus. The method works particularly well for cattle and sheep embryos which can be frozen for transit and thawed when needed- It also works for pigs, but is more difficult as freezing of pig embryos kills them. Research on embryo implants has been going on for some years in New Zealand, and three years ago one

British firm, Farmkey, decided to establish a branch in New Zealand to form its base for export in the southern hemisphere.. A British director of Farmkey, Mr M. Layburn, said the company chose New Zealand because its quarrantine regulations made it one of the “cleanest” countries in the world from a veterinary viewpoint. He sees the relaxation of the regulations as a milestone for New Zealand. “New Zealand will be able to export cattle embryos to Britain, and Angus and

Hereford stock, in particular, should be in demand,” he said. ,

“As well, work on deer and goats is well advanced in New Zealand, and this stock will also be sought.”

The New Zealand company has recently signed deals for embryos in a number of countries, including Paraguay, Chile, Malaysia, the Philippines and some of the Gulf States.

“I see no reason why business from New Zealand should not run into millions of ’ dollars,” Mr Layburn said.