Remember "Doc Pat-ET", the first or filial generation (F1) calf produced in the country through the embryo transfer (ET) technology?

It's now two-and-a-half years old and weighing 700 kilograms. But what is most important is that it is now "contributing" semen to help upgrade the local cattle industry.

The bull, once bandied about as the symbol of a brighter future of the local dairy industry, is half Holstein Friesian and half Sahiwal.

It has been named after Dr. Patricio S. Faylon, executive director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), himself a multi-awarded animal scientist.

Doc Pat-ET is one of the initial five male and 20 female cows borne under the project titled "Production of high quality Philippine dairy-type animals through the use of reproductive biotechniques."

The PCARRD-supported project is implemented by the UP Los Baños Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI).

Embryo technology refers to the transfer of fertilized egg from one cow to a recipient (surrogate) cow to complete its gestation. Embryo transfer, in tandem with superovulation, is a reproductive biotechnique that can considerably increase an animal's reproductive rate.

Through ET, a number of excellent calves from selected genetically superior cows are produced. Under natural condition, a cow gives birth to only seven or eight calves in its lifetime.

"Since one embryo transfer operation may produce as many calves as a cow is capable of producing in 10 years, this technique is very useful and relevant to our ongoing genetic improvement program," stressed Dr. Antonio Rayos, the project's lead researcher. Others involved in the project are Dr. Jose Arceo Bautista, Dr. Demetrio Marcial Jr. and Conrado Orciro.

Weekly collection of semen from Doc Pat-ET began last October. To date, about 600 straws of processed semen have been produced by UPLB-DTRI from the "super cow".

Doc Pat-ET's semen is now being used for artificial insemination (AI) at the DTRI farm and at the Batangas Dairy Corp. (BADACO), Dr. Elaine Lanting, assistant director of PCARRD's livestock division, told this writer.

Dr. Lanting said the country imports yearly about 8,000 straws of semen at $5 per straw. "This requirement can sufficiently and sustainably be addressed through the ET technology," she added.

She said it costs P3,483 to produce one transferable embryo and P15,174 to produce one ET calf. These are much lower than the costs of imported embryos (P28,000/embryo) or heifer (P75,000 per heifer).