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Dec 17, 2015

Herding genetically engineered animals to market

The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) recent decision to approve a genetically engineered salmon for human consumption bodes well for people interested in cheaper fish that are rich in omega three fatty acids. The salmon, produced by AquaBounty, is designed to reduce the time and therefore the cost for fish to reach market size. Other genetically engineered (GE) animals could also save resources and help producers, consumers, or the environment. New enviro-pigs have excrement low in phosphorous, which pollutes waterways. GE sows produce more milk, so piglets grow faster. GE cows resist mad cow disease and mastitis, a costly disease requiring treatment with antibiotics. GE chickens developed in the United Kingdom do not transmit bird flu; their use could save millions of infected birds from being culled and reduce the risk of bird flu epidemics leading to new flu epidemics in people. Read article here.