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Scientists in Japan have created nearly 600 exact genetic copies of one mouse after 25 rounds of cloning.

The perfectly cloned mice could pave the way for milk and meat from 'super' animals created in the lab, scientists say.

Experts successfully cloned the successive generations of mice using the same techniques used to create Dolly the sheep.

The rodents live a normal lifespan and the process can be carried on indefinitely through successive generations.

The cloned mice showed no signs of growing old prematurely and appeared mentally and physically perfect.

Dr Teruhiko Wakayama said: 'This technique could be very useful for the large scale production of superior quality animals, for farming or conservation purposes.'

In an experiment that began eight years ago, the researchers used 'somatic cell nuclear transfer' (SNCT) to produce almost six hundred mice from one original 'donor' after twenty five consecutive rounds of cloning(...)