Transcript Biotechnology in Livestock Production

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
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Genetic Engineering
• is based on a technology
involving recombinant DNA
• Deoxyribonucleic acid
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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
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Genetic Engineering
• purpose - to have the
recipient organism take on
the characteristic controlled
by the transferred gene
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Examples
• disease resistant animals
• growth regulators
• new drugs and vaccines
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Examples
• specify size and sex of
animals
• organism that “eats” oil used
in the Persian Gulf
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BST
• Bovine Somatotropin
(Bovine Growth Hormone)
• Somatotropins are proteins
that affect the utilization of
energy in the body
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BST
• causes energy derived from
feed to be used for milk
production rather than
weight gain
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BST
• does not reduce energy
available for body
maintenance
• increases energy available
by improving breakdown of
fat and increasing appetite
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BST
• small amounts of BST are
produced naturally in the
cow by the pituitary gland
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BST
• previously, the only source
of BST for research has
been from pituitary glands
of dead cows
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BST
• now, because of genetic
engineering, large quantities
of BST can be produced
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BST
• gene that controls BST
production is spliced into the
DNA of a bacteria
“Agrobacteria”
• is injected into a cow
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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)
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Formula
• 20,000# X 40% = 8000# of
extra milk
• 8000# @ $10/cwt =$800
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Porcine
Somatotropin
• is produced naturally by the
pituitary gland of the pig
• it acts as a growth regulator
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PST
• production decreases as an
animal matures
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PST
• produced through RDNA
technology
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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.
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PST
• C. improves feed efficiency
and decrease fat deposition
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Results
• A. increase in feed
efficiency 29%
• B. increase daily gain 19%
• C. increase loin eye area
12%
• D. decreases fat 33%
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Results
• must be injected daily
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Opposition to
“Biotech”
• people fear
• production of new
uncontrollable disease
• freak animals
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Opposition to
“Biotech”
• long term adverse effects of
environment from products
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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.
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Biotech in Crop
Production
• the first plant patented
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Other areas
researched
• herbicide resistance
• pest resistance
• frost resistance
• salt tolerant
• drought resistance
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Embryo Transfer
• well established in cattle
industry, especially dairy
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Process
• cow is treated with
hormones to cause
“superovulation”
• can produce as many as 25
eggs
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Process
• donor cow then artificially
inseminated
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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.
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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.
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Process
• ovaries and oviducts are
massaged & flushed with
fluid-which washes the
fertilized eggs out of the
body into a cylinder
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Process
• individual embryos are
located under a microscope
and put into a straw
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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
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Process
• freezing protocol now widely
used
• most transfer work is done
non-surgically with success
rates of approximately 75%
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Splitting
• research has also
successfully split embryos
resulting in as many as 5
identical calves
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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
August 2008