VPB 321: Animal Biotechnology (2+1)

TRANSGENIC TECHNOLOGY

• Transgenic livestock have been produced with increased growth rates, enhanced lean muscle mass, enhanced resistance to disease.
• Transgenic poultry, swine, goats, and cattle also have been produced that provide large quantities of human proteins in eggs, milk, blood, or urine.
• Examples of human pharmaceutical proteins include enzymes clotting factors, albumin and antibodies.
• The major limiting factor for widespread use of transgenic animals in agricultural production systems is the relatively less success rate (less than 10 percent) of production of transgenic animals and high production cost.