• What is animal breeding?

• Animal Breeding is the use of genetics and biometry to improve the efficiency of production in farm animals.

• Biometrics is the technology that measures and analyzes body characteristics (fingerprints, eye retinas, voice patterns, facial patterns, etc.)

Animal breeding helps the livestock industry in many ways, including help make the animals more immune to diseases; and produce faster so that they could be sold faster (more money)

There have been reports – in the There have been reports – in the past – of abuse going on at past – of abuse going on at breeding facilities.breeding facilities.

The abuse would be hitting and The abuse would be hitting and jabbing animals - pigs in this case jabbing animals - pigs in this case – with metal rods and other – with metal rods and other instruments. instruments.

Also, the pigs’ eyes were being Also, the pigs’ eyes were being gouged and they were poked and gouged and they were poked and slapped by the facilities workers.slapped by the facilities workers.

Some pigs suffered from softball-Some pigs suffered from softball-size cysts, oozing sores, and other size cysts, oozing sores, and other painful injuries, but they did not painful injuries, but they did not receive any veterinary care. receive any veterinary care.

Not a very efficient way to breed Not a very efficient way to breed animals, no?animals, no?

Animal Cloning is when an entire Animal Cloning is when an entire organism is reproduced from a organism is reproduced from a single cell from the parent single cell from the parent organism; The organism will later organism; The organism will later become a clone, which is an exact become a clone, which is an exact duplicate its parent – it has the duplicate its parent – it has the same exact DNA. same exact DNA.

Birth defects, physiological Birth defects, physiological impairments, illness, and impairments, illness, and premature death continue to be premature death continue to be the norm, not the exception, with the norm, not the exception, with cloning. cloning.

Genetic Engineering has been done for centuries – in animals and plants by selective breeding.

Selective Breeding is when someone breeds certain plants and animals to get the desired characteristics that will be passed on to the next generation (the child).

Can sometimes occur with mating – selective mating, or in the lab. Altering the genes of a particular animal or plant can affect its appearance, and – for an animal, its meat.

Even though it may seem easier and faster to use this method of genetic engineering for animals – it can not really speed up production of the animal.

There have be issues with There have be issues with genetic engineering, however, genetic engineering, however, for example – mice which had for example – mice which had been genetically modified been genetically modified with a human gene to shut with a human gene to shut down a gene that made the down a gene that made the mouse immune to other mouse immune to other genes – the mouse had genes – the mouse had developed a few symptoms of developed a few symptoms of a human disease – one being a human disease – one being a form(s) of cancer.a form(s) of cancer.

If this happens with another If this happens with another animals, like a pig, then the animals, like a pig, then the meat would be affected and if meat would be affected and if it is feed to humans it is feed to humans ‘accidentally’, it could be ‘accidentally’, it could be health issues. health issues.

Use of recombinant and nonrecombinantUse of recombinant and nonrecombinant hormones. hormones.

Hormones are used in animals Hormones are used in animals to enhance their growth.to enhance their growth.

A common hormone is bovine A common hormone is bovine somatotropin. This hormone is somatotropin. This hormone is mostly used in cattle to mostly used in cattle to increase milk production. increase milk production.

In 1994, the hormone could In 1994, the hormone could be synthesized using be synthesized using recombinant DNA technology recombinant DNA technology to create recombinant bovine to create recombinant bovine somatotropin.somatotropin.

The use of this hormone has The use of this hormone has become controversial after it become controversial after it produced defects in the produced defects in the cattle.cattle.

Use of recombinant and non recombinantUse of recombinant and non recombinantantibiotics. antibiotics.

Antibiotics are used in Antibiotics are used in livestock biotechnology to livestock biotechnology to reduce the amount of reduce the amount of diseases among the diseases among the animals.animals.

If one animal out of the If one animal out of the herd gets sick, the whole herd gets sick, the whole herd is treated with herd is treated with antibiotics. This has antibiotics. This has caused controversy caused controversy because healthy animals because healthy animals are being fed antibiotics are being fed antibiotics which will eventually which will eventually damage their health.damage their health.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/news/070625_p05_antibiotics.jpg

SourcesSources 1994, t. s., & Union, t. W. (n.d.). Artifical 1994, t. s., & Union, t. W. (n.d.). Artifical

Hormones, hormone residue in meat - The Hormones, hormone residue in meat - The Issues - Sustainable Table. Issues - Sustainable Table. SustainabletableSustainabletable. . Retrieved June 10, 2010, from Retrieved June 10, 2010, from http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormhttp://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormonesones