Chimerism in cattle through microsurgical aggregation of morulae

A cattle chimera was produced by combining four halves of two parent embryos of different breeds (Brown-Swiss x Braunvieh plus Holstein-Friesian x Holstein-Friesian) in one zona pellucida. Parent embryos in the 32-cell morula stage were recovered non-surgically, were bisected, and the combined four halves were transferred non-surgically to recipient heifers. Chimerism of coat colour was used as evidence. Combining of only two half embryos from different parents resulted in five pregnancies carried to term but none of the calves born was a chimera.