The world’s first genetically modified horses have been born in the province of Buenos Aires – clones of an elite stallion with a modified gene, designed to achieve extreme speed. The animals were created by the Argentine company Kheiron Biotech using CRISPR technology, which allows for precise editing of DNA.
The main goal of the modification was to reduce the activity of the myostatin gene – a protein that naturally limits muscle growth. Thanks to this, the foals develop more muscle fibers, which increases their strength and speed, key qualities for sport horses, in particular for polo.
However, the Argentine Polo Association has banned the participation of such animals in competitions, fearing a violation of tradition and fair competition.
“This is the future of horse breeding. The key is to explain the technology correctly to remove fear and prejudice,” said Kheiron scientific director Gabriel Vichera.
CRISPR, used to create these horses, allows the genome to be modified without adding foreign material, acting as “molecular scissors” to make precise adjustments to DNA.
