Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D.

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1 Is the Market Ready for Milk from Cloned Cows? 3/15/06 Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D. Cooperative Extension Specialist Animal Biotechnology and Genomics ODI

2 OUTLINE What is a clone? Embryo splitting Nuclear transfer Embryo Somatic Cell What are the concerns? Food Safety Animal Welfare and Ethical Issues Public Opinion

3 What is Biotechnology? Biotechnology - The application of science and engineering to living organisms.

4 Animal biotechnology Artificial selection (breeding programs) Artificial Insemination Embryo transfer Using DNA information for the markerassisted selection of superior animals

5 Barnyard Biotechnology Artificial Insemination 1940s One sire can inseminate 1000s of cows annually versus 40 using natural breeding Initially AI was seen to be against the laws of God, a repugnant practice that would lead to abnormal outcomes Embryo Transfer 1970s One cow can produce up to 200 calves versus 10 in a lifetime; significant but much less than AI from bulls In Vitro Fertilization 1990s - Salvage genetics from 400 cows with fertility problems annually

6 The public opposes animal biotechnology.. The majority (55%) of Americans believe that the genetic modification of animals is morally objectionable. Schilling, B. J., Hallman, W. K., Adelaja, A. O., and Marxen, L. J Consumer Knowledge of Food Biotechnology: A Descriptive Study of U. S. Residents. Food Policy Institute, Cook College, Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey. 25p. It should be noted that in this same study, consumer acceptance of traditional animal crossbreeding techniques was only 31 %, with 50% of respondents finding such practices morally wrong!

7 Animal biotechnology Artificial selection (breeding programs) Artificial Insemination Embryo transfer Using DNA information for the markerassisted selection of superior animals Cloning Genetic engineering

8 Public Attitude Towards Biotechnology How much have you heard about animal biotechnology? (IFIC, 2004) A LOT SOME A LITTLE NOTHING

9 What have you heard/read about animal biotechnology? Cloning 17 % Faster Growth/Bigger Animals/More Meat, Milk, Eggs 9 % Hormones 8 % Nothing Specific 6% Genetic Engineering 5 % Disease Resistance/Healthier Animals/Safer Food 4 % Changes to Animal Feed 4 % Better Quality Meat 3 % Concerns about effects/testing needed 3 % Steroids 3 % Testing on Animals/Raised in Labs 2 % What is Fed to Animals/ How animals Fed 2 % Breeding/AI 2 % Mad Cow 2 % Other 11 % Don t Know/Refused 39 %

10 Cloning by embryo splitting

11 Cloning by embryo splitting

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14 Embryo Transfer Laboratory Cloning by Nuclear Transfer Embryo nuclear transfer (since the 1980s) Cloning by Nuclear Transfer at UCDAVIS Tissue biopsy is taken from donor cow, Daisy Donor cells are grown in tissue culture Donor cell nucleus is transferred to recipient egg Cloned embryo is transferred to surrogate mother The two cloned calves, Dot and Ditto, on display at the State Fair, were born May 2003 Pregnancy is monitored by ultrasound

15 Dolly (1996), the first adult somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) clone

16 Dolly rapidly became entangled with the debate over human cloning Ensuing discussion failed to elaborate on the reasons as to why cloning was developed

17 Embryo Transfer Laboratory Cloning by Nuclear Transfer Cloning by Nuclear Transfer at UCDAVIS Tissue biopsy is taken from donor cow, Daisy Donor cells are grown in tissue culture Donor cell nucleus is transferred to recipient egg Cloned embryo is transferred to surrogate mother The two cloned calves, Dot and Ditto, on display at the State Fair, were born May 2003 Pregnancy is monitored by ultrasound

18 Many animal species have been since been cloned from adult cells

19 The FDA continues to call for a voluntary prohibition of the marketing of milk or meat from SCNT clones and their offspring

20 Who s Buying? $20,000 Regancrest Emory Derry died unexpectedly.

21 Who s Buying? Full Flush Unable to supply market demand for his semen

22 Who s Buying? Specialty Cattle Producers Starlight: record 77 inches tip to tip

23 Milk and meat from cloned animals to market this year?

24 Are the milk and meat from SCNT clones safe for human consumption? 1. All studies have shown that food products derived from clones fall within normal industry standards or previously reported values for milk and meat. 2. Sample sizes are small in all studies although there are an increasing number of studies published FDA ASSESSMENT OF ANIMAL CLONING food products derived from animal clones and their offspring are likely to be as safe to eat as food from their non-clone counterparts, based on all the evidence available. (issued 10/31/03)

25 Animal Welfare Concerns Large calf syndrome Under-developed respiratory, cardiovascular, and renal systems FDA ASSESSMENT OF ANIMAL CLONING Cloning technology does not present any type of risk that is not present with other forms of reproduction. However, the adverse outcomes may occur at a higher frequency with cloning than with other assisted reproductive technologies now in common use, such as in vitro fertilization or embryo transfer.

26 Ethical Issues: Cloned Gizmos and Snuppies Gizmo $50,000 Snuppie 3/15/06

27 CA law to prohibit cloned and GM pets? AB 1428, as introduced, Levine. Commercial pet cloning. Existing law provides for the regulation of various types of businesses by the Department of Consumer Affairs. This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to prohibit the commercial sale and transfer of cloned or genetically modified pet animals within California.

28 Manx cat? Munchkin cat? Munchkin Manx

29 Public Attitudes Towards Different Animal Biotechnologies (IFIC, 2004)

30 Pew Initiative Poll 2005 Less than a quarter (23 %) of consumers believe food produced from animal clones is safe, while 43 % believe it is unsafe; and one-third (34%) of consumers do not have an opinion on the safety of animal cloning. A strong majority (63 %) of Americans believe government agencies should include moral and ethical considerations when making regulatory decisions about cloning and genetically modifying animals, with 53 percent feeling that way strongly.

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33 What s up in the blogosphere? Posted by Christina Will cloned food sources by labeled as such? I am certainly not in support of it, will avoid it and will continue to support organic food sources as much as possible. What are our leaders thinking and why, as a US Citizen and registered voter, don't I get a say in this? Very disturbing! Posted by Quignoff There are many people that obviously do not know that we eat cloned, genetically engineered foods every single day. Nearly all of the plant foods that we eat have been engineered. Besides, our bodies have no idea that the food it's eating is cloned or not; dna is dna is dna as far as our stomachs and the microbes that live there are concerned. Posted by Troy Why not? Dead cow is dead cow regardless of its possible parentage.

34 SUMMARY Embryo split and embryo nuclear transfer clones have been in the food supply for over 20 years. Unlikely that somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) clones will be produced in large numbers for commercial agricultural purposes. A voluntary moratorium on marketing products from SCNT clones remains in effect despite the finding that they it is as safe to eat as food from non-clones. If the FDA finds cloned food products safe, they are unlikely to require mandatory labeling. Ethical and moral concerns dominate the public discussion about cloned animals.

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