Posted on 11/15/2018 2:18:23 PM PST by ETL
OAKFIELD, N.Y. (AP) — Cows that can withstand hotter temperatures. Cows born without pesky horns. Pigs that never reach puberty.
A company wants to alter farm animals by adding and subtracting genetic traits in a lab. It sounds like science fiction, but Recombinetics sees opportunity for its technology in the livestock industry.
But first, it needs to convince regulators that gene-edited animals are no different than conventionally bred ones. To make the technology appealing and to ease any fears that it may be creating Franken-animals, Recombinetics isn't starting with productivity. Instead, it's introducing gene-edited traits as a way to ease animal suffering.
"It's a better story to tell," said Tammy Lee, CEO of the St. Paul, Minnesota-based company.
For instance, animal welfare advocates have long criticized the way farmers use caustic paste or hot irons to dehorn dairy cows so the animals don't harm each other. Recombinetics snips out the gene for growing horns so the procedure is unnecessary.
Last year, a bull gene-edited by Recombinetics to have the dominant hornless trait sired several offspring. All were born hornless as expected, and are being raised at the University of California, Davis. Once the female offspring starts lactating, its milk will be tested for any abnormalities.
Another Recombinetics project: castration-free pigs.
When male piglets go through puberty, their meat can take on an unpleasant odor, something known as "boar taint." To combat it, farmers castrate pigs, a procedure animal welfare advocates say is commonly performed without painkillers. Editing genes so that pigs never go through puberty would make castration unnecessary.
Also in development are dairy cows that could withstand higher temperatures, so the animals don't suffer in hotter climates.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
When pigs fly!
LOL!
Pigs today, humans tomorrow.
“Pigs that never reach puberty.”
I guess that’s good for one generation?
Buffalos can be bred with dozens of tiny wings.
Dual carb & 4 on the floor?
How about changing a pig’s meat to pork chops and the fat into bacon. My apologies-—BACON!!!!
So that’s what a Chow looks like. I always thought it was a dog used to make Yung Chow fried rice.
Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to trust scientists to alter life forms into what they conclude is best? Okay, maybe scientists don’t have the best track record when it comes to judgement, maybe they rush into trying things without considering the possible drawbacks. But what’s the worst that could happen? And that whole climate change thing, that was just a math error, but they fixed it.
A ducorse? or a horsuck?
ok, great. Now I am going to have nightmares...
Bucket seats? Chrome?
Yea but can it quack?
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