Farmers dont expect a quick boost from cloned animals

US - When Wauseon farmer Todd Creager was given the opportunity to buy semen from a cloned pig to use to artificially inseminate sows on his farm, he passed.
calendar icon 3 January 2007
clock icon 1 minute read
He wasn't convinced that a clone would produce a higher quality pig than was achievable using current breeding methods.

Pigs, dairy cows, and other livestock are a big business in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. They generate $295 million annually for northwest Ohio, according to figures compiled by Ohio State University.

But breeders and others in the industry don't expect a quick boost from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granting preliminary approval last week for consumption of meat and milk from cloned animals.

And they don't foresee meat from clones - or their offspring - showing up in stores soon.

"I don't see the impact as being great," said Elizabeth Harsh, executive director of the Ohio Cattlemen's Association, which represents 2,200 farms.

Public opposition isn't the biggest obstacle, she said. Rather, the process is too expensive, ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 for a single calf, she said.

Source: toledoblade.com
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