Does
(Contlnuad from Rags A 32)
contribution from pork to total
calories consumed per serving,
calories consumed from fat and
calories consumed from saturated
fat The ratio of saturated to unsa
turated fatty acids is not changed
in response to somatotropin admi
nistration (Prusa, 1989). Choles
terol concentration in fresh pork
(muscle) is not changed when
somatotropin is given even though
fat content is markedly reduced.
This is explained by the fact that
the bulk of the cholesterol in meat
is associated with muscle cells
(fibers) as a vital, functional com
ponent of the cell membrane.
Results from the five studies in
which porcine somatotropin has
been administered to growing pigs
here at Cornell have been con
firmed at at least twenty other uni
versities or research institutes and
in many industry efficacy trials
conducted here in the United
States, in Australia, in several
European countries and even in
China.
Porcine somatotropin repre
sents one example of biotechnolo
gy application in animal agricul
ture which markedly improves
efficiency of food production and
markedly reduces fat content of a
food stuff. It improves the eco
nomic competitiveness of an ani
mal product (pork) in the market
place and maintains the quality of
characteristics of a food which we
in the U.S. and millions of people
around the world have come to
enjoy. This is accomplished with
out any increased risk to the con
sumer, without any increased risk
to the producer and without any
increased risk to the animal.
Run with it
BEFORE YOU BUY - COMPARE THE
IMPORTANT FACTS. NOT HORSEPOWER!
MUSTANG - 9 GENERATIONS OF SKID
LOADERS MADE IN THE U.S.A.
4 WAYS TO COMPARATIVELY BUY A SKID
LOADER: OPERATING WEIGHT, AXEL
TORQUE, TIPPING LOAD, BREAKOUT FORCE.
OPERATING WEIGHT
! AXEL TOR*
* TIPPING LOAD
BREAKOUT FORCE
FlvC/IV VwlJtr WJII, Jut I. MXMPt
Qml power pio equipment
new Holland, pa 17557-780 east main street (717) 354-4241 Fax # (717) 355-2466
milroy, pa 17063 • p.o. box 567 • route 322 (717) 667-6504 Fax * (717) 667-3840
paoli, pa 19301 -37 industrial blvd (215) 640-9222 Fax « (215) 993-9115
Biotechnology Put The Food Supply At
Other biotechnology approach
es for improving production effi
ciency and nutrient composition
of foods are being investigated.
These include the following:
1. Administration of growth
hormone releasing factor, the
naturally occurring hormone
which stimulates secretion of
growth hormone (somatotropin)
from the pituitary gland, to
increase levels of growth hormone
in the blood.
2. Immuno-nentralization of
animals against the hormones or
receptors of hormones which
decrease the secretion of growth
hormone by the pituitary.
3. To utilize the animal’s own
immune system to produce pro
teins which will influence muscle
growth and fat deposition in a
manner similar to what is seen
with somatotropin administration.
4. Gene transfer or gene inser
tion techniques may be used to
allow the bacteria in the rumen
(stomach) of cattle and sheep to
more completely digest cellulose,
the form of most fiber in most
plant food stuffs. Humans cannot
digest cellulose, only ruminant
animals can.
5. Gene transfer or gene inser
tion may someday be used to
improve disease resistance of farm
animal species.
Although efficacy and safety of
these potential applications of
biotechnology have not been
reviewed by the FDA, it is antici
pated that FDA will approve use
of bovine somatotropin in lactat
ing dairy cows and will probably
approve use of porcine somatotro
pin in pigs. These forms of
biotechnology present no risk to
•UE
*MUSTANG Doesn’t Use Counterweights
GUESS WHO
CAN’T MEASURE UP
940
MUSTANG
*5289
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the consumer, producer or animal.
This latter statement is well sup
ported and documented in the sci
entific literature (peer-reviewed
published results of independent
studies conducted at major univer
sities in the U.S. and around the
world), in extensive documents,
some in excess of 30,000 pages,
submitted to the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration seeking
approval for commercial use as an
animal drug and in proceedings of
International Symposia organized
to assess the impact of adoption of
porcine somatotropin on die pork
industry, on the environment and
on the consumer. Many aspects of
potential risk associated with the
use of porcine somatotropin have
already been thoroughly tested in
the case of requests for approval
of bovine somatotropin (bST) in
lactating dairy cows.
Before approval of a new ani
mal drug is granted the FDA must
evaluate and verify claims of effi
cacy of the drug, safety of the drug
to die animal, safety of the drug
regarding human consumption of
food or food products derived
from the treated animal and safety
to the environment All negative
claims made by consumer and
environmental activists Samuel
Epstein (1989) and Jeremy Rifkin
(1989) have been resoundingly
refuted by the FDA (Chesemore,
1990). Careful review of these
negative claims, which have been
published in several editorial col
umns clearly reveals that these
claims are not supported by good
scientific evidence. Although they
are unfounded, often gross distor
tions of public information, their
seriousness cannot be taken light-
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Lancaatr Fanning Saturday, April 21,1990-A33
ly. Consumers are interested in
and concerned about food safety.
Public perception is of critical
importance if somatotropin or any
new technology is to be effective
ly implemented. This biotechnolo
gy and any other must be under
stood and perceived as safe and
beneficial by the consumer and
the farmer before adoption will
take place. The media can play a
pivotal role in public response to
this new technology. It is appro
priate that they do so because until
a product is approved by the FDA
our agricultural extension prog
rams cannot and do not take a
proactive stance in promoting use
of a beneficial management
strategy involving an animal drug.
Public discussion is warranted,
but this discussion must not fall
prey to those who promote their
own hidden agendas or self
serving ideas. The role of the
media to fill a need for education,
with a concern for public percep
tion, must be exercised with care
and rigorous investigation so that
our biotechnology efforts are not
snuffed out for unwarranted politi
cal, social or economic reasons. It
is better to print no story at all than
to unwittingly promote “scare
tactics,” half-truths or exaggera
tions. No successful research sci
entist depends on unrepeatable,
Bus Tour
Holstein
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) — The Pennsylvania Junior
Holstein Association is sponsor
ing a bus to the 1990 National
Holstein Convention in Charles
ton, SC.
The bus will leave Pennsylvani
a on Saturday, June 23, and return
on Thursday, June 28. Plan to visit
King’s Dominion Park on the way
down. Arrival in South Carolina
will be Sunday afternoon.
A wide variety of activities
have been planned by the South
Carolina Junior Holstein Associa-
Risk?
biased or tainted results from ill
conceived or poorly designed
experiments for personal gratifi
cation. This would undoubtedly
equate to professional suicide. If
the meaning of new information is
not clear, explanations must be
sought from more than one source.
If the claims are extraordinary, be
skeptical. If they are extraordinar
ily negative or\ damaging, then
investigate credibility. If credibili
ty is suspect, look to recognized
experts for a second or third opin
ion. A wealth of exciting new
knowledge is provided by the dai
ly activities of thousands of quali
fied scientists, however, it can
quickly and easily be hidden in the
cloud of misinformation perpe
tuated by one unqualified indivi
dual.
I believe that the biotechnology
we are attempting to apply to food
producing systems does not put
our food supply at risk. The pre
sence of conservative, govern
ment regulatory agencies provides
us assurance that this is so here in
the U.S. I can think of no better
system anywhere else in the world
that is better equipped to evaluate
food safety than the agency net
work we have here in the U.S.
Let’s not destroy what took
decades to develop.
Planned To
Convention
don. These include a tour of the
Boone Hall Plantation, a shelling
and crabbing exhibition, Dairy
Skillathon, Beach Party, Dances,
Junior Awards Program, and a
number of other activities. Return
is set for Thursday, June 28.
Any Junior Holstein member
interested in going on the bus trip
should call the Pennsylvania Hols
tein office for more information
and a detailed itinerary of the bus
trip at (814) 234-0364 or write:
PA Holstein, 839 Benner Pike,
State College, PA 16801.