August 2008 Biotechnology in Livestock Production.
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August 2008 Biotechnology in Livestock Production
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Transcript of August 2008 Biotechnology in Livestock Production.
August 2008
Biotechnology in Livestock
Production
August 2008
Definition• the science of altering
genetic and reproductive processes in plants and animals
August 2008
Two areas• genetic engineering
• embryo transfer
August 2008
Genetic Engineering• is based on a technology
involving recombinant DNA
• Deoxyribonucleic acid
August 2008
Genetic Engineering• involves taking a tiny bit of
DNA containing the desired gene from one organism and splicing it into the DNA strand of another organism
August 2008
Genetic Engineering• purpose - to have the
recipient organism take on the characteristic controlled by the transferred gene
August 2008
Examples• disease resistant animals
• growth regulators
• new drugs and vaccines
August 2008
Examples• specify size and sex of
animals
• organism that “eats” oil used in the Persian Gulf
August 2008
BST• Bovine Somatotropin
(Bovine Growth Hormone)
• Somatotropins are proteins that affect the utilization of energy in the body
August 2008
BST• causes energy derived from
feed to be used for milk production rather than weight gain
August 2008
BST• does not reduce energy
available for body maintenance
• increases energy available by improving breakdown of fat and increasing appetite
August 2008
BST• small amounts of BST are
produced naturally in the cow by the pituitary gland
August 2008
BST• previously, the only source
of BST for research has been from pituitary glands of dead cows
August 2008
BST• now, because of genetic
engineering, large quantities of BST can be produced
August 2008
BST• gene that controls BST
production is spliced into the DNA of a bacteria “Agrobacteria”
• is injected into a cow
August 2008
BST• causing increased BST
production in the cow
August 2008
BST• research at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison and Cornell University in New York has showed an average increase of 40% over lactation (305 days)
August 2008
Formula• 20,000# X 40% = 8000# of
extra milk
• 8000# @ $10/cwt =$800
August 2008
Porcine Somatotropin
• is produced naturally by the pituitary gland of the pig
• it acts as a growth regulator
August 2008
PST• production decreases as an
animal matures
August 2008
PST• produced through RDNA
technology
August 2008
PST• how it works
•A. causes an increase in cell division in muscle tissue.
•B. causes decrease in fat storage and increases in accumulation of protein.
August 2008
PST• C. improves feed efficiency
and decrease fat deposition
August 2008
Results• A. increase in feed efficiency
29%• B. increase daily gain 19%• C. increase loin eye area
12%• D. decreases fat 33%
August 2008
Results• must be injected daily
August 2008
Opposition to “Biotech”
• people fear
• production of new uncontrollable disease
• freak animals
August 2008
Opposition to “Biotech”
• long term adverse effects of environment from products
August 2008
Biotech in Crop Production
• lowered costs and increased yields
• improved feeding values
• new corn plant
August 2008
Biotech in Crop Production
• produces higher levels of tryptophan
• amino acid essential for protein formation in an animals body.
August 2008
Biotech in Crop Production
• the first plant patented
August 2008
Other areas researched
• herbicide resistance
• pest resistance
• frost resistance
• salt tolerant
• drought resistance
August 2008
Embryo Transfer• well established in cattle
industry, especially dairy
August 2008
Process• cow is treated with
hormones to cause “superovulation”
• can produce as many as 25 eggs
August 2008
Process• donor cow then artificially
inseminated
August 2008
Process• during this process,
“Recipient” cows or heifers are treated with hormones to synchronize their heat cycle to be the same as the donor cow.
August 2008
Process• after the eggs are fertilized
and before they leave the oviduct, the cow is “flushed” with a saline solution or a solution of egg yolk and D.M.S.O.
August 2008
Process• ovaries and oviducts are
massaged & flushed with fluid-which washes the fertilized eggs out of the body into a cylinder
August 2008
Process• individual embryos are
located under a microscope and put into a straw
August 2008
Process• embryos may be frozen
much the same as cattle semen samples
• first research in the U.S. was done in central WI in 1982
August 2008
Process• freezing protocol now widely
used
• most transfer work is done non-surgically with success rates of approximately 75%
August 2008
Splitting• research has also
successfully split embryos resulting in as many as 5 identical calves
August 2008
Slow Progress• many characteristics are
controlled by multiple genes instead of a single gene
August 2008
Slow Progress• lack of money for research
• government regulations
• environmental groups filing lawsuits to stop research and testing
August 2008
Slow Progress• many farmers don’t support
genetic engineering because they feel we already have surplus production
