Introduction to Animal Biotechnology – SS3 Livestock Farming Lesson Note (First Term)

Animal biotechnology is the use of scientific tools on animals, their cells or their genes to improve livestock for human use.

• Biotechnology: using living things, or parts of them, to make or improve products.
• Aim in livestock: to raise healthier, stronger and more productive animals more quickly.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define animal biotechnology;
2. state four reasons why biotechnology is important for livestock improvement;
3. describe artificial insemination, embryo transfer and genetic mapping;
4. compare traditional breeding with biotechnology in speed, accuracy, disease control and cost.

What is animal biotechnology?

Animal biotechnology is a set of scientific methods that help farmers breed better livestock faster than nature alone.

• Traditional method: the farmer waits for nature and chooses parents by their looks.
• Biotechnology: scientists and farmers use laboratory tools and DNA information to speed up improvement.
• Everyday picture: it works like a high-tech upgrade for the farm.

What are DNA, genes and traits?

DNA is the chemical set of instructions inside the cells of every living animal.

• DNA: the instruction manual that controls how the animal grows and works.
• Gene: one section of DNA that carries the instruction for one feature.
• Trait: a feature controlled by genes, such as milk yield, growth rate or heat tolerance.
• Offspring: young ones that receive genes from both parents.

How does the “instruction manual” idea help?

• Traditional farming: like guessing what is in the manual by looking at the cover.
• Biotechnology: like opening the manual to read it and find the pages that matter.

Why is biotechnology important for livestock improvement?

Biotechnology is important because it improves growth, disease resistance, product quality and the environment.

1. Faster growth and better meat

• Selection: animals that grow fast or have lean meat can be identified.
• Result: more food is produced in less time.
• Benefit: it helps to feed a growing population.

2. Disease resistance

• Aim: to breed animals that resist certain viruses or parasites.
• Fewer sick animals: the farmer loses fewer animals from outbreaks.
• Lower cost: less money goes on drugs and treatment.

3. Higher nutritional value

Biotechnology can change the quality of animal products.

• Milk: research aims at more protein or less lactose.
• Eggs: research aims at lower cholesterol.
• Meat: research aims at healthier fats.

4. Environmental protection

• Better digestion: animals that use feed more efficiently give off less waste.
• Methane: a gas released by ruminants such as cattle, sheep and goats.
• Phosphorus: a waste mineral in the dung of pigs and poultry that can pollute water.
• Result: less pollution from large farms.

What methods are used in animal biotechnology?

There are three main methods: artificial insemination, embryo transfer and genetic mapping.

What is artificial insemination (AI)?

Artificial insemination is the placing of semen from a chosen male into a female without natural mating.

1. Select a top-quality male.
2. Collect semen from him.
3. Examine the semen and dilute it.
4. Store it chilled or frozen until needed.
5. Identify the female that is on heat.
6. Place the semen in her reproductive tract using a trained person and clean equipment.

• Spreads good genes: one superior male can father very many offspring without leaving his farm.
• Saves cost: the farmer does not have to keep many breeding males.
• Disease control: it reduces the spread of diseases passed on during mating.
• Limitation: it needs skilled staff, storage equipment and correct detection of heat.

What is embryo transfer?

Embryo transfer is the removal of embryos from a superior female and their placing in other females that carry them to birth.

1. Choose a high-quality female as the donor.
2. Give her hormones so that she produces many eggs.
3. Inseminate the donor so the eggs are fertilised.
4. Collect the embryos from the donor after several days.
5. Examine the embryos and select the healthy ones.
6. Place each embryo in a recipient female, an “average” cow in the same stage of her cycle.
7. The recipient carries the young and gives birth.

• Benefit: one “super-mother” can have many more calves in her lifetime.
• Limitation: it is costly and needs experts.

What is genetic mapping?

Genetic mapping is finding where genes for useful traits are located on an animal’s DNA.

• Picture: it is like a GPS map of the DNA.
• Use: it shows which genes control heat tolerance, high milk yield or disease resistance.
• Benefit: breeders can test young animals early and keep only the best as parents.

What other methods are used?

• Genetic engineering: adding, removing or changing a gene in an animal.
• Transgenic animal: an animal that carries a gene from another organism.
• Cloning: producing an animal that is genetically identical to another, as with Dolly the sheep.

Why do we need animal biotechnology now?

We need animal biotechnology because the climate is getting tougher and more people must be fed.

• Slow breeding: traditional breeding takes many generations to show results.
• Shortcut: biotechnology shortens the time needed.
• Sustainable: it uses fewer resources.
• Profitable: farmers earn more from healthier animals.
• Secure: there is enough food for the future.

What are the concerns about animal biotechnology?

The main concerns are cost, animal welfare, safety and ethics.

• High cost: equipment and trained staff are expensive for small farmers.
• Welfare: some procedures may harm animals.
• Less variety: using a few superior parents can reduce genetic variety in a herd.
• Ethics: some people object to changing an animal’s genes.

How does biotechnology compare with traditional breeding?

Traditional breeding is the mating of chosen animals and the selection of offspring by appearance and performance.

Biotechnology is the use of laboratory methods and DNA information to improve animals.

Evaluation

1. Define animal biotechnology.
2. State four ways in which biotechnology helps to improve livestock.
3. Describe artificial insemination and embryo transfer.
4. If you were a poultry farmer, which trait would you want to improve in your chickens using biotechnology? Why?
5. Do you think “editing” an animal’s DNA is different from just choosing which animals mate? Give reasons.

Assignment

Using the comparison table, write a short note on how biotechnology differs from traditional breeding in speed, accuracy, disease control and cost.