preston39
Well-known member
dundun":vx0klfa7 said:
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agree. However, this memo gives some reasons why I guess it will become the thing here soon;
COLLEGE STATION -- In a groundbreaking procedure, researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University successfully cloned what is believed to be the first animal specifically cloned for disease resistance. The month-old calf, named 862, was cloned using cells that were frozen for 15 years, representing the longest time ever that genetic material has been maintained by cryopreservation, thawed and then successfully used in cloning.
The calf, named 862 due to his exponential genetic potential, was born three years after the death of Bull 86, his genetic donor.
After testing hundreds of cattle, Bull 86, was found to be naturally disease-resistant to brucellosis, and under laboratory conditions resistant to tuberculosis, and salmonellosis - all serious diseases in veterinary and human health. Until Bull 86 was no longer able to breed, he was extensively studied as part of a breeding research program conducted by Drs. Garry Adams and Joe Templeton from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES).
In 1985, cells from the tip of Bull 86's ear were frozen for future genetic study. Fifteen years later, Drs. Taeyoung Shin and Mark Westhusin, also from the College of Veterinary Medicine and TAES, were able to clone Bull 86. A DNA analysis showed that Bull 862 is a genetic clone of Bull 86.
Brucellosis , tuberculosis and salmonellosis are infectious bacterial diseases that can be transmitted from one herd to another and even to humans. Although nearly eradicated in the United States and Canada, brucellosis and tuberculosis are widespread elsewhere in the world and could find their way back into U.S. herds.
"The impact of cloning disease-resistant cattle is potentially monumental,"added Dr. Garry Adams. "For example, in countries where they are unable to pasteurize milk to kill the bacteria or process meat appropriately, breeding disease-resistant cows could greatly contribute to a safer food supply, especially pre-harvest. The potential to combine natural disease resistance with the outstanding production traits of US cattle increases the market value of our cattle in the world market."
"Brucellosis and tuberculosis are prevalent in Mexico and could easily be brought into the United States by stray cattle that swim across the Rio Grande River, or by any of the approximately one million cattle that are imported annually from our neighbors under the NAFTA treaty," said Dr. Joe Templeton. "That's why the potential to purposefully breed this natural resistance into cattle will be an important addition to current disease control methods which have not been 100 percent effective in the United States and abroad."
Vaccinations, testing, quarantine, and even destroying infected herds has not resulted in the worldwide eradication of these diseases. "This research will benefit ranchers in many countries who cannot afford to vaccinate or test their herds for these diseases. These unprotected cattle are a potential reservoir for re-infection of herds in the United States and specifically in Texas since most imports pass through Texas," said Templeton. Once a single infected cow is imported, the disease will be re-introduced and will spread. Even in a disease that does not significantly affect the health of cattle but affects humans, such as Salmonella, the ramifications of the research will be profound.
The College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University is believed to be the only institution currently using cloning technology as a tool to specifically clone disease resistant animals. Established in 1916, the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine is one of the world's leading institutions in animal health care and research.
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Contact: Diane Oswald (979) 845-1780.
For the latest information: http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/news/bull86/
