Page 74 - The Welfare of Cattle

ChaPter 7

the Uses of Biotechnology to
Improve animal Welfare

Alison L. Van Eenennaam
University of California

CONteNtS

Animal Welfare Aspects of Biotechnology ...................................................................................... 51
Animal Welfare Aspects of Genetic Engineering ............................................................................52
Animal Welfare Aspects of Gene Editing ........................................................................................54
Will Gene Editing Be Regulated? ....................................................................................................55
Animal Welfare Aspects of Breeding ...............................................................................................57
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................59
Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................59

Biotechnology is defined in the Cartagena protocol as “any technological application that uses
biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes
for specific use.” From this definition, it is clear that some applications of biotechnology have been
used in animal agriculture for many years. Biotechnologies have directly benefitted the three core
scientific disciplines of animal science: genetics, nutrition, and health, as summarized in Table 7.1.

aNIMaL WeLFare aSPeCtS OF BIOteChNOLOGY

Some biotechnologies such as vaccinations clearly benefit animal health and welfare, whereas
others such as ionophores and recombinant proteins improve production efficiency. Some people
are opposed to the use of certain biotechnologies to improve production efficiency, and argue that
their use is associated with decreased animal welfare. In fact, the very use of a subset of specific
biotechnologies is prohibited in certain production systems. This brings up the very real tensions
that frequently exist between the three components of sustainability: environmental, economic, and
social. Sustainability is often depicted as three intersecting circles, with a sweet spot in the center
representing the sustainable production system nirvana (Figure 7.1).
One definition of sustainable agriculture is “a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers
and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a
fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities.” While it is hard to find fault
in that ideal, it ignores the fact that there are almost always goal conflicts between environmental,
social, and economic goals as no one single system can simultaneously fulfil all sustainability goals.

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