Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

$150 million benefit expected from new embryo research

Updated at 8:14 am on 13 July 2010

Agresearch says the primary sector could benefit by more than $150 million per year from new research which aims to improve embryo survival in sheep and cattle.

The research, led by Agresearch, is looking into why only half of the ovulated eggs in sheep and cattle produce lambs and calves.

It's one of 42 projects to receive funding in the Government's latest science funding round, and is getting more than $10 million over the next six years.

Dr Jenny Juengel says increasing embryo survival by 3% would boost primary sector incomes by more than $150 million per year.

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