Genetic Engineering in Livestock - New Applications and Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Recently, the first "zoopharming" product has reached market approval: it is a recombinant human protein for medical use that is produced in the milk of transgenic goats. In addition, other transgenic animals, including faster-growing salmon and "environmentally friendly" pigs with reduced levels of phosphate in their faeces are awaiting regulatory approval. These are only some examples of upcoming applications of genetic engineering in farm animals. Other potential applications include traditional breeding goals such as higher milk or meat yields, leaner meat, and disease resistance. While genetic engineering in livestock opens a huge range of possibilities, it also brings about concerns of safety and justification: does genetic engineering affect animal welfare? Is it safe and morally acceptable to apply genetic engineering to farm animals for the various purposes that are envisaged?

List of contents

Transgenic Farm Animals: Current Status and Perspectives for Agriculture and Biomedicine.- Methods to Generate Transgenic Animals.- Animal Pharming: Past Experience and Future Prospects.- Market Development of Biopharmaceuticals.- Ethical Aspects of Livestock Genetic Engineering.- Assessing the Welfare of Transgenic Farm Animals.

Summary

Recently, the first "zoopharming" product has reached market approval: it is a recombinant human protein for medical use that is produced in the milk of transgenic goats. In addition, other transgenic animals, including faster-growing salmon and „environmentally friendly" pigs with reduced levels of phosphate in their faeces are awaiting regulatory approval. These are only some examples of upcoming applications of genetic engineering in farm animals. Other potential applications include traditional breeding goals such as higher milk or meat yields, leaner meat, and disease resistance. While genetic engineering in livestock opens a huge range of possibilities, it also brings about concerns of safety and justification: does genetic engineering affect animal welfare? Is it safe and morally acceptable to apply genetic engineering to farm animals for the various purposes that are envisaged?

Product details

• Assisted by: Mathias Boysen (Editor), Matthias Boysen (Editor), Margret Engelhard (Editor), K. Hagen (Editor), Kristi Hagen (Editor), Kristin Hagen (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 12.04.2011
• EAN: 9783540858423
• ISBN: 978-3-540-85842-3
• No. of pages: 146
• Dimensions: 161 mm x 14 mm x 243 mm
• Weight: 364 g
• Illustrations: XVI, 146 p. 8 illus.
• Series: Ethics of Science and Technology Assessment; Ethics of Science and Technology Assessment
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Miscellaneous; B, Ethics, biotechnology, engineering, Zoology & animal sciences, Ethics & moral philosophy, Genetics and Genomics, Moral Philosophy and Applied Ethics, Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering, Biomedical engineering, Genetics (non-medical), Animal genetics, Animal Genetics and Genomics