Biotech Applications in Livestock Production Sperm cells sorted by flow cytometry based on X/Y chromosome. Expensive! Transgenics – pharming: manufacture expensive hormones and vaccines. Cloning – see slide of Dolly DNA-based genetic eval.: use DNA markers in calculation of EPD.

Biotechnology Definition The science of altering genetic and reproductive processes in plants and animals

Two areas Genetic engineering Reproductive systems

Genetic Engineering is based on a technology involving recombinant DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid

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

Genetic Engineering purpose - to have the recipient organism take on the characteristic controlled by the transferred gene

Genetic Engineering

Examples disease resistant animals growth regulators BST & PST new drugs and vaccines Identification / parentage testing

Examples specify size and sex of animals DNA-based genetic evaluation organism that “eats” oil used in the Persian Gulf

Examples What are we going to look at? BST PST Cloning Semen Sexing

BST Bovine Somatotropin (Bovine Growth Hormone) Somatotropins are proteins that affect the utilization of energy in the body Mainly used in the dairy industry

BST Introduced in the early 1980’s and tested on over 20,000 cows Finally Approved on November 5, 1993

BST causes energy derived from feed to be used for milk production rather than weight gain

BST does not reduce energy available for body maintenance increases energy available by improving breakdown of fat and increasing appetite

BST Small amounts of BST are produced naturally in the cow by the pituitary gland

BST Previously, the only source of BST for research has been from pituitary glands of dead cows Now, because of genetic engineering, large quantities of BST can be produced

BST Gene that controls BST production is spliced into the DNA of a bacteria “Agrobacteria” Is injected into a cow

BST causing increased BST production in the cow

BST research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Cornell University in New York has showed possible increases of 40% over lactation (305 days)

Formula 20,000# X 40% = 8000# of extra milk 8000# @ $10/cwt =$800

Porcine Somatotropin is produced naturally by the pituitary gland of the pig it acts as a growth regulator

PST production decreases as an animal matures

PST produced through rDNA technology

PST how it works A. causes an increase in cell division in muscle tissue.

PST B. causes decrease in fat storage and increases in accumulation of protein. C. improves feed efficiency and decrease fat deposition

Results A. increase in feed efficiency 29% B. increase daily gain 19% C. increase loin eye area 12% D. decreases fat 33%

Disadvantage Labor and cost Must be injected daily

Cloning Cloning is the process of making a identical duplicate of one individual.

Cloning Very controversial Ethical? Personal Opinions?

Cloning Discovered by accident while doing research on fertility in human embryos in 1993 Animals had been previously cloned during embryonic research in 1986

Cloning Dolly Gene

Cloning Animals have been cloned and threatening to use in humans. Involves taking DNA and reproducing an animal/human from one sample of DNA.

Cloning Started in Lab rats and then moved to sheep “Dolly” “Gene” Life expectancy is uncertain

Cloning Advantages (when works) Maintain Superior Animal Save endangered species Maximize profits Know what kind of animal you are going to get

Cloning Disadvantages Life expectancy Moral concerns Idea that we are going to create 100 Abraham Lincoln’s Little research due to regulations

Cloning So…where are we going with cloning?

Cloning Factory Farming Attempt to clone large group of chickens August 15, 2001

Cloning “Billions of clones could be produced each year to supply chicken farms with birds that all grow at the same rate, have the same amount of meat and taste the same''

Cloning Future Government regulations are restrictive Not very promising Personal Opinions

Semen Sexing Determining sex of animal before animal is born Work with X and Y chromosome

Semen Sexing Two ways A. Extract one cell from an early embryonic stage and with the use of a DNA probe, one can determine the sex

Semen Sexing B. sorting of semen, one sperm at a time, into males and females detecting by laser beam X sperm glows brighter

Semen Sexing Advantages Can eliminate unwanted sex Maternal over Terminal Females vs. Males

Semen Sexing Disadvantages Cost Labor Limited Sources Accuracy

Genetic Engineering Questions on genetic engineering? BST PST Cloning Semen Sexing