Forabosco, Flavio
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2013Peer reviewed
Forabosco, Flavio; Löhmus, M.; Rydhmer, Lotta; Sundström, L.F.
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 .
Livestock Science
2013, Volume: 153, number: 1-3, pages: 9 p
Publisher: Elsevier
SDG2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Genetics and Breeding
Fish and Aquacultural Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.01.002
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51409