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update:Jul 17, 2007
Farming cloned animals becomes a reality
The creator of Dolly the sheep, Professor Keith
Campbell is calling on farmers ans spreading his belief that animal cloning is
the answer to producing cheap food.
Professor Keith Campbell was cited as believing the country's farms
should be populated by super strong, super-sized offspring of clones.
It is believe that the US can expect to be eating clone-farmed meat within
the coming two years, and supporters are saying that Europe should follow
suit.
The daughter of a US clone cow was born on a British farm for the first
time this year, making cloning reproduction a reality. Apparently the intent of
this cow is to help breed Britain's future milking cow herds.
First step to wider use
Campbell said yesterday that this should be the first step to a far wider
use of cloned animals to produce food from cattle, pigs, chicken and sheep. He
is also supported by campaigners who insist that meat and milk from cloned
offspring is identical to the food in supermarkets and should not be
labelled.
Controversial issues
However, it is inevitable that this will become a very controversial issue,
especially if consumers are denied the right to choose if they will or will not
eat cloned food.
Perhaps one of the biggest concerns will be the high number of clone-animal
pregnancies that lead to abnormalities, miscarriages and stillbirths.
Accelerate genetic improvements
"It is just another technique that we can add to accelerate genetic
improvements to farm animal species," Campbell argues. "Cloning allows us to
multiply elite animals."
He added that there is 'no conceivable risk' in eating food produced from
the off-spring of clones, suggesting the only barrier to the technology is
public perception.
The US Food & Drug Administration is expected to give approval for the
technology, without a requirement for labelling, later this year.
Related links:
Editor WorldPoultry
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