Forabosco, Flavio
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2013Peer reviewed
Genetically modified farm animals and fish in agriculture: a review
Forabosco, Flavio; Löhmus, M.; Rydhmer, Lotta; Sundström, L.F.
Abstract
Developmentsinbiotechnologyoverthepast25yearshaveallowedscientiststoengineer geneticallymodified(GM)animalsforuseinvariousareasofagricultureandmedicine.The greatmajorityofGManimalsandfisharecurrentlyonlyattheresearchstage.However,some animalswithananticipateduseinfoodproductionareclosetoreachingthegroceryshelf-at least,theywillbesoonavailableformarketing.GMlivestockincludemanydifferentkindsof animalsandspeciesmodifiedwiththeintention ofimprovingeconomicallyimportanttraits such asgrowth-rate,qualityofmeat,milkcomposition,diseaseresistanceandsurvival.Pigs havebeenengineeredtogrowfasterandtoproducemoremeatwithlessfeed;the compositionofporkhasalsobeenimprovedforhealthierhumanconsumption.Scientists havepaidparticularattentiontopighealth,raisingpigletsurvivalrates,reducingtherisksof infectiousdisease,andfortifyingtheporcineimmunesystem.Sheephavebeenmodifiedto improvewoolproductionandimmunity,and toreducetheriskofmortalityfollowing infectionsbybacteriaandlethalviruses.Growth-rateinchickenshasbeenincreasedwithonly limitedsuccess,becauseconventionalselection hasalreadyimprovedthistraitclosetoits biological limit.However,diseaseresistance(e.g.toH5N1)andthesurvivalofnewlyhatched chicks havebeenimproved.Udderhealthandsurvivalarethemostimportanttraitsimproved by transgenictechnologyincattle.GMcowswith resistancetoBSEhavebeenbred.Similar traitsaretargetedinfish,dominatedbysalmon, carpandtilapiaspecies,wherethefocusison meat production,meatquality,anddiseaseresistance.ThenumberofGMfarmanimalsand fish developedinlaboratoriesisincreasing,butforthepresentthenumberofspeciescloseto enteringthemarketremainssmall .
Published in
Livestock Science
2013, Volume: 153, number: 1-3, pages: 9 p
Publisher: Elsevier
Rydhmer, Lotta
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
SLU Authors
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
UKÄ Subject classification
Genetics and Breeding
Fish and Aquacultural Science
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.01.002
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51409