A3S-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 29, 1997 feft* iJVews JVew Jgolton Center... UNIVERSEI Y OF PENNSYLVANIA School of Veterinary Medicine Biotechnology and Sperm DR. ALAN M. KELLY The Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine University of Pennsylvania It is nearly SO yean since James Watson and Francis Crick deter mined the molecular structure of DNA and set the stage for the “molecular revolution" in biology and medicine* Now we witness, almost daily, dramatic advances in the understanding and treatment of human disease. But that is just the tip of the iceberg; the molecu lar revolution is beginning to influence many other aspects of our lives, including the way our food is produced. Molecular genetics and biotechnology have already been applied to genetically engineered crops. Most of these plants have been designed for increased dis ease resistance, so there is real hope that they will help increase world food supplies to meet the needs of growing populations. Unfortunately, we cannot claim the same success for animal agri culture. The application of molecular techniques to confer disease resistance and increase the productivity of farm animals is currently extremely limited and uneconomic. But if farmers involved in animal agriculture are to have practical benefits, we must develop rapid and efficient methods for genetically modify ing characteristics of pigs, sheep, cattle, and chickens. Ultimately, American agriculture must rely more than ever on biotechnology if we are to remain competitive in the world economy. And, of course, this biotechnology dependent agriculture is critical to the Pennsylvania economy. The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is committed to developing more powerful techniques of genetic manipulation of agricultural ani mals to meet the needs of Ameri can agriculture. The School has established the Center for Anima te Transgensis and Germ Cell Research the first in the nation whose primary mission is to improve the health and productivi ty of domestic animals by modifi cation of the animals’ genetic makeup. The School of Vetoinary Medicine has already obtained substantial private seed money for the Center for Animal Transgene sis and Germ Cell Research. Cow/Calf Conference OTTUMWA, lowa For the first time in 26 years, a representa tive from the retail section of the beef industry spoke to cow/calf producers and industry representa tives at the Ottumwa Cow/Calf Conference. The Ottumwa Cow/Calf Con ference was held Feb. 22 and attracted almost 6SO cow/calf pro ducers and industry representa tives, according to Byron Leu, lowa State University Extension livestock field specialist The conference was co sponsored by ISU Extension and the Ottumwa Chamber of Commerce. Mike Johnson, assistant vice president of meat operations for Hy-Vee, said retail marketing of beef has seen many changes over the years. Laboratories (already under con struction) and much of the research will be located at the School's New Bolton campus in Chester County. The work of the Center’s Prin cipal Scientist. Dr. Ralph Brinster, has recently received international attention and recognition. Dr. Brinster, the Richard King Mellon Professor of Reproductive Phys iology, has been able to take sper matogonia, the “stem cells that give rise to sperm in the testis,” from a rate and implant them into a mouse creating a mouse that produced rat sperm. This intrigu ing experiment introduces the pos siblity that the mouse could be used as a surrogate to grow geneti cally altered farm animal sperm. In another experiment involving just mice. Dr. Brinster took “sper matogonical cells,” froze them for months, reimplanted them in male mice, and found that they were viable and able to produce sperm. This process provides a potential way to preserve and extend the complete genetic makeup of valu able liveestock by freezing testi cular cells with the expectation that they will generate sperm at a later date. The work at the Center for Ani mal Transgenesis and Germ Cell research offers the prospect of introducing desirable new genes into sperm cells and transplanting these cells into the testis of an ani mal, where sperm will be pro duced that carry the altered gene tic information and contribute the genes to new offspring. Once a genetic change is introduced into the germ line by transgensis, it is carried forward forever from gen eration to generation. Thus, it will be possible to introduce and main tain genetic changes that improve the health and productivity of farm animals. Scientists at the Center will continue to discover new funda mental knowledge about cell biol ogy and genetic exchange and apply the techniques of germ-line modification to accelerate the rate at which livestock can be geneti cally improved, a goal that most fanners have been pursuing by other means. This exciting new development will advance Penn sylvania’s animal industry, the largest sector of the Common wealth’s agriculture, which, in turn, is Pennsylvania’s leading industry. “Today’s consumer buying trends have customers demanding leaner cuts of meat with their healthier food habits. Ground beef movement trends best explain this,” Johnson said. In ground beef purchases the past five years, consumers have purchased more 85 percent lean and 90 percent lean ground beef, while 73 percent lean showed the biggest drop. In recent years, there were many inconsistencies in the beef pro ducts Hy-Vee received from pack ers. The quality beef produced was used by packers for their own spe cialty programs. In response, Hy-Vee developed the Blue Ribbon Beef program. Hy-Vee not only looked at mar bling and maturity of beef, but also looted at conformation and gene tics of cattle. This Excellent-93 Curtls-Haven Profit Lois cow with an Excsllent mammary, con signed by Donald Eaton of Blalrsvilla, is the first lot In the Pennsylvania Showcase Sale. She sold for $5,300. Eaton retained rights to show her Friday. Tha sale results and coverage of the Pa. Holstein Spring Championship Show are to be reported in the next issue of Lancaster Farming. Agri-Businesses Support MESHOPPEN (Wyoming Co.) Sixty concerned business peo ple and farmers gathered last week at Binghams Restaurant, Susque hanna County to determine what further actions business people may pursue to help correct die low milk prices paid to dairy farmers. All three County Commission ers from Susquehanna County. Lee Smith, Cal Dean and Jeff Loomis were present and pre sented a solid front behind the dairy fanners efforts. Commis sioner Norm Miller and Mrs. Mill er from Sullivan County attended the session. In addition Mr. Rick ard was present representing the County Commissioners from Wayne County. Letters that have been sent to Washington were read from some of the County Commisioncrs and Dr. Douglas Caucci, a veterinarian from Wayne County also read a letter. Several feed dealers, supply dealers, bankas, insurance men, and implement dealers were also present Bill Lopatofsky, owner and A LESSON WELL LEARNED... LANCASTER FARMING'S CLASSIFIED ADS GET RESULTS! m H * n * a* Dairy Farmers operator of Northeast Equipment, from West Clifford stated, “It’s time that dairy farmers take con trol of their own destiny and price the milk cotrecdy at the Farm.” Arden Tewksbury, Manager of Pro Ag pointed out to the group that if something isn’t done to im prove prices to dairy farmers, then die total economic loss to the State of Pennsylvania will be nearly 1.9 billion dollars in a year’s time from October 1996 thru October 1997. Breaking these figures down on a local level. Pro Ag estimates the farms’ loss in gross income for the same period of time will be nearly $7.4 million in Susquehanna County, $5.4 million in Wayne County, $2.3 million in Wyoming MILK. IT DOES A BODYgood: Bl FARM EQUIPMENT %4/ 1 TiU * /*» i „ v V County, $1.2 million in Lacka wanna County and $1 million in Sullivan County. However, many of the people present were surprised to team of the staggering potential economic losses in individual counties. They are - Susquehanna County $52 million, Wayne Co. $3B million, Wyoming Co. $l6 million, Lacka wanna Co. $8 million and Sullivan Co. $7 million. Everyone agreed that an accel erated effort had to be made, with letter writing and phone calls to Washington D.C., in an attempt to return prices paid to dairy farmers equal to the September level of 1996. Pro Ag can be reached at 717-833-5776. >A/ lartuSW’ 1
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