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Scientists at the
Beijing University of Agriculture have genetically modified a pair of calves in an attempt to make their meat more tender, tastier, and more appealing to discerning palates.
Professor Ni Minhong and colleagues at the school's department of advanced science and technology produced a pair of
cloned cows, named Jing Qin 1 and Jing Qin 2, that had been implanted with an extra gene,
Telegraph Science Correspondent Richard Gray reported on Sunday.
That gene is designed to increase the amount of fat contained in their muscles, and the scientists hope that it will lead to the development of a high-quality cut of beef that can rival gourmet wagyu or Kobe beef, Gray said. To date, Ni's team has spent three years on their research, though they will have to wait until the calves mature and are slaughtered before they can truly discover whether or not they have succeeded or failed.
"Through this project we will be the first in the world to successfully create transgenic cows with fatty acid binding protein," the professor told
The Telegraph. "Unlike pork where leaner is better, a good amount of muscle fat content is one of the key elements when it comes to characterizing beef quality... After more research it may be possible to achieve ideal marbling of meat in domestic cattle and provide an alternative to imported high-grade meat."
The cows at the center of the study are a Chinese-exclusive breed known as Qinchuan, and they were born at the Comprehensive Experimental Base of Beijing University of Agriculture in Daxing district, according to
Yin Yeping of the Global Times. Two hundred female cows had been implanted with genetically modified embryos, and seven became pregnant, but only two were born alive - the first on July 19 and the second on August 1 - Yeping added.
Both Jing Qin 1 and Jin Qin 2, as well as the failed embryos, had been injected with a gene which spurs on the creation of a fatty acid binding protein known as adiposcyte, Gray said. Adiposcyte leads to the development of "thin streaks of fat" between the cows' muscles, and after the animals are slaughtered, the additional fat becomes marbling which adds tenderness and flavor to the beef.
"Allowing genetically modified cattle would cut the cost of richly marbled beef," Gray said.
However, he also noted that the research would "add to the debate over the ethics and safety of attempts to genetically modified livestock, with critics of the technology raising fears about the welfare of the animals involved and the possibility of the meat and milk they produce causing harm to humans."
The research addressing the safety of genetically modified (GM) food is "immature" and it is "too early to introduce it to the commercial food chain,"
Greenpeace food and agricultural campaigner Fang Lifeng told Yeping.
"Given the
GM crops that are more scientifically mature than the meat, but which are still controversial in terms of their possible affects on the human body, it will take at least a decade to prove GM beef is safe before it can be sold commercially," he added.
It has also drawn some criticism from animal rights groups as well, according to the
Telegraph.
"The scientists say it could be several years before the new meat could be available in shops if it is approved by the authorities," Gray said, adding that Ni and his colleague will need "to carry out further research to ensure the gene is stable in successive generations of cattle and they also want to try the gene in other varieties of beef cattle to see if how the meat differs."
Dr.Strangelove - Animals could be bred and SLAUGHTERED. (Thanks to mine shaft gap at http://mineshaftgap.net/script.html.)
Strangelove: [Executes an about face from the big board to face the camera.] Mr. President, I would not rule out the chance to preserve a nucleus of human specimens. It would be quite easy... heh heh... rolls forward into the light at the bottom of ah ... some of our deeper mineshafts. The radioactivity would never penetrate a mine some thousands of feet deep. And in a matter of weeks, sufficient improvements in dwelling space could easily be provided.
Muffley: How long would you have to stay down there?
Strangelove: Well let's see now ah, [searches within his lapel] cobalt thorium G. notices circular slide rule in his gloved hand aa... nn... Radioactive halflife of uh,... hmm.. I would think that uh... possibly uh... one hundred years. On finishing his calculations, he pulls the slide rule roughly from his gloved hand, and returns it to within his jacket.
Muffley: You mean, people could actually stay down there for a hundred years?
Strangelove: It would not be difficult mein Fuhrer! Nuclear reactors could, heh... I'm sorry. Mr. President. Nuclear reactors could provide power almost indefinitely. Greenhouses could maintain plant life. Animals could be BRED AND SLAUGHTERED. A quick survey would have to be made of all the available mine sites in the country. But I would guess... that ah, dwelling space for several hundred thousands of our people could easily be provided.
Muffley: Well I... I would hate to have to decide.. who stays up and.. who goes down.
Strangelove: Well, that would not be necessary Mr. President. It could easily be accomplished with a computer. And a computer could be set and programmed to accept factors from youth, health, sexual fertility, intelligence, and a cross section of necessary skills. Of course it would be absolutely vital that our top government and military men be included to foster and impart the required principles of leadership and tradition. [Slams down left fist. Right arm rises in stiff Nazi salute.] Arrrrr! [Restrains right arm with left.] Naturally, they would breed prodigiously, eh? There would be much time, and little to do. But ah with the proper breeding techniques and a ratio of say, ten females to each male, I would guess that they could then work their way back to the present gross national product within say, twenty years.
Muffley: But look here doctor, wouldn't this nucleus of survivors be so grief stricken and anguished that they'd, well, envy the dead and not want to go on living?
Strangelove: No sir... [Right arm rolls his wheelchair backwards.] Excuse me. [Struggles with wayward right arm, ultimately subduing it with a beating from his left.] Also when... when they go down into the mine everyone would still be alive. There would be no shocking memories, and the prevailing emotion will be one of nostalgia for those left behind, combined with a spirit of bold curiosity for the adventure ahead! Ahhhh! [Right arm reflexes into Nazi salute. He pulls it back into his lap and beats it again. Gloved hand attempts to strangle him.]
Turgidson: Doctor, you mentioned the ration of ten women to each man. Now, wouldn't that necessitate the abandonment of the so called monogamous sexual relationship, I mean, as far as men were concerned?
Strangelove: Regrettably, yes. But it is, you know, a sacrifice required for the future of the human race. I hasten to add that since each man will be required to do prodigious... service along these lines, the women will have to be selected for their . . . sexual . . .characteristics which will have to be of a highly . . . stimulating nature.
DeSadeski: I must confess, you have an astonishingly good idea there, Doctor.
Strangelove: Thank you, sir.
Turgidson: (To Muffley) I think we should look at this from the military point of view. I mean, supposing the Russkies stashes away some big bomb, see. When they come out in a hundred years they could take over!
[DeSadeski begins walking away from the crowd around Strangelove and the President, toward the banquet table.]
General: I agree, Mr. President. In fact, they might even try an immediate sneak attack so they could take over our mineshaft space.
Turgidson: Yeah. I think it would be extremely naive of us, Mr. President, to imagine that these new developments are going to cause any change in Soviet expansionist policy.
[DeSadeski kneels, unseen, and begins photographing the big board with a secret camera within a pocket watch.]
I mean, we must be... increasingly on the alert to prevent them from taking over other mineshaft space, in order to breed more prodigiously than we do, thus, knocking us out in superior numbers when we emerge! Mr. President, we must not allow... a mine shaft gap!
Strangelove: ...sir! [stands up out of his wheelchair] I have a plan. Heh. [pauses, realizing that he is standing] Mein Fuhrer, I can walk!
R.C. sez. Was Peter Sellers great, or what?
R.C.