Red Angus Genomes Used in Polled Genetics Breakthrough

GLOBAL – A giant leap forward has been taken in polled genetics by introducing Red Angus genomes to cells taken from a Holstein Bull.
calendar icon 3 May 2013
clock icon 1 minute read

At a major conference in York, England, scientists heard Scott Fahrenkrug, professor of genetics at the University of Minnesota, describe his work in producing hornless Holstein cattle, the Scotsman reports.

Professor Fahrenkrug and his team now have millions of modified cells.

The next stage, Professor Fahrenkrug revealed, is to use cloning technology to shift some of the cells into 40 embryos, which will then be implanted into a surrogate cow herd.

This could bring about a dramatic alteration in how cattle appear as the process will produce a generation of cattle that in turn will pass on polled genetics to their offspring.

Welfare and safety benefits for both farmer and animal arise from the development which Professor Geoff Simm of the Scottish Rural College said is an example of the process made in the livestock industry through gene editing.

Longer term, it is believed that current animal diseases can be removed from the genetic spectrum with modern gene editing techniques.

 

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