Cloned animals to save the 3rd world?

[Andy Hamilton]

Aparently after 5 years of testing food from cloned animals is safe to eat. So what is going to happen? They are going to be shipped off to the Africa. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6288941.stm NOt sure about cloning myself, my gut feeling is that it is wrong. Am I right to think this?

[Andy Hamilton]

NOt sure about cloning myself, my gut feeling is that it is wrong. Am I right to think this?

I don't mean cloning myself, after all Dave is pretty similar I mean that I think cloning just feels wrong in general.

[Wombat]

Bugger! I was just about to say.....

Nev

[Dendrobium]

Regardless of how safe it may/may not be, I think the real problem is lack of diversity. It's having genetic diversity in a heard/crop that means that some of them are likely to survive new diseases.

[Andy Hamilton]

Regardless of how safe it may/may not be, I think the real problem is lack of diversity. It's having genetic diversity in a heard/crop that means that some of them are likely to survive new diseases.

Yes, yes - that has been one of my concerns. Surely as that article says animals will be disease resistant is a falicy. Without diversity then whole heards could be wiped out meaning that the 3rd world farmers would not be able to afford to restock. Gm cotton that is resistant to some disease has been found not to be against others. This has meant chineese and Indian farmers can be without a crop in the 3rd year. I don't think 5 years is long enough for testing either.

[Wombat]

I don't think 5 years is long enough for testing either.

Yes mate, you can say that one again. We seem to have a history of short term profit focus and a " she'll be right attitude" - this has resulted in screw ups in the past!

Nev

[red]

hmm are they promoting the benefits to Africa to justify something they would go ahead and do anyway, or did they start from the point of view of saving people and species?

cynical me can't help thinking that it is almost like clever advertising campaign.

[Dendrobium]

If I was cynical I might wonder if they're doing this in Africa as a cheap way of doing field studies without the comeback of being sued if it goes wrong..........

[Annpan]

Its bloody ridiculous - this stuff really gets my goat

Africa is seen as some type of lab where they are aloud to pump full of all sorts of crap. Africa NEEDS economic and ecological diversity. Africa NEEDS to stop having internal wars and the majority of African nations NEED to spend more of their income (as small as it is) on infrastructure for their citizens and not on arms exported by westerners. Africa does not need (poorly disguised) charity and it does not need spooky foods doing god only knows what to the food chain.

I don't understand why they need to clone, can anyone explain to me what is wrong with breeding programs to create animals less suseptible to certain diseases or able to withstand drought or produce more milk etc etc

Also I guess that some western company will be selling this to africa, the last I heard horney cow + horney bull = wee cute calf aaawww, a relativly cheap breeding program. how much is this western compnay going to charge farmers for their petri dishes and labs and scientists?

Poor cows ( and bulls) don't get anymore rumpy pumpy

5 years is nowhere near enough time, 50 years isn't enough time to do a field trial in my opinion. They haven't even scratched the surface as to what this can do to the environment.

I think it is different if it was used to help spieces on the brink of extinction under controlled conditions (ie in reservations/ safari park type things), but not for animals for food.

from the BBC article

Africa's farming systems are already under stress. Cattle breeds resistant to diseases such as sleeping sickness are dwindling at an alarming rate as local farmers adopt larger zebu breeds to replace their hardier but smaller taurine relatives.

There is a need for education, farming breeds that won't survive is obviously not the way to go but diversification is. Even in the developed world farmers always have to change along with market conditions and environmental reasons. If farmers could be educated to grow a crop that would sustain their income, maybe helped with putting in irrigation, or trained in other farming methods. It has to be understood that if you change your herd for a different breed, you could have other problems and the farmers must be responisible for their decisions.

Sorry to go on a bit but this type of thing really wind me up

Annpan

[Enormous Sage]

Its bloody ridiculous - this stuff really gets my goat

Africa is seen as some type of lab

That is the basis of all these types of trials, paraded under the banner of "saving starving Africans"*


*A label that, rightly, annoys a lot of Africans incidentally.

PS - Although I am new, I am a card carrying cynic. Be warned.

[crazymumma]

5 years is nowhere near enough time, 50 years isn't enough time to do a field trial in my opinion. They haven't even scratched the surface as to what this can do to the environment.

I think it is different if it was used to help spieces on the brink of extinction under controlled conditions (ie in reservations/ safari park type things), but not for animals for food.

Hear hear, my sentiments exactly!

[Jack]

Gidday

Was AIDS one of those experiments. I often wonder.

[Bonniegirl]

Oh Jack! Now that really is too scary to contemplate!

[oldfella]

Gidday

Was AIDS one of those experiments. I often wonder.

Will we ever know? and how many of mankinds cock ups are we living with,

Just a thought

[marshlander]

Is this for home consumtion or export to the uk for the likes of wetherspoons and hungrey horse ! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... think.html