Long-term acceptance of full thickness body skin grafts between Bos taurus-Bos indicus chimeric twins

Body skin was grafted between Bos taurus-Bos indicus haemopoietic chimeric calves produced by embryo transfer. Grafts of body skin from Bos taurus animals to their Bos indicus chimeric co-twins survived for more than 2 and 1/2 years as assessed by the growth of hair from the grafts. There was no evidence of survival of the reciprocal grafts. It is suggested that depilation, dehydration and desquamation are not suitable criteria for assessment of skin grafts in cattle.