Spider Goats and Popeye Pigs
By Amber Barnes
scientists are dabbling with the makeup of animals for various purposes, including medical and agricultural research, and sometimes for
no clear reason at all. SURPRISING SPECIES A surprising number of pigs, sheep, cows, and goats are the focus for many researchers, in addition to the more commonly used mice, rats, and rabbits. In agricultural research, scientists are attempting to perfect the ideal “food” animal. One such invention is the “Enviropig,” a strain of pig that researchers in Canada genetically engineered to digest phosphorous. This ability could potentially reduce the environmental issues associated with the high levels of phosphorous released into
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2016 WHEN A FARM IS A LAB
the water from large-scale pig farming.1 Of course, this does nothing to prevent the other problematic emissions created by pig farms or address the atrocious welfare issues associated with many farming practices; it merely attempts to mold an animal to fit a broken system. In a bizarre attempt to use genetic engineering to create healthier “food” animals, researchers in Japan created what they dubbed the “Popeye pig.” Animals in this study were genetically altered to contain spinach genes with the hope of producing healthier meat.2 The Daily Mail quoted geneticist Sue Mayer of Genewatch as saying, “When there are so many other ways to have a healthy diet, it is difficult to see how genetic modification such as this can possibly be justifiable.” However, not all research involving the genetic engineering of large animals is agricultural. Perhaps one of the stranger experiments is the “spider goat.” Researchers at the University of Wyoming integrated spider DNA into the genomics of a goat in an attempt to harvest large amounts of silk through goat milk, possibly for making protective garments like bulletproof vests. Other research involving genetic engineering has been criticized for its apparent lack of application. Chinese scientists recently created a new type of sheep that has patterned and colored wool. Author and yarn expert Clara Parkes has condemned this research as being a mere excuse to experiment on large animals, as colored wool is considered a contaminant in the wool industry and such studies provide no benefit to the sheep themselves.3 REGULATIONS In the United States, the FDA has jurisdiction over genetically engineered animals, pursuant to its authority to regulate “new animal drugs.” It also regulates medical products classified as biologicals, which include vaccines, serums, and blood products. The FDA must license biologicals before they can be introduced. States usually have little say over the regulation of genetically engineered plants or animals, although the California Fish and Game Commission banned GloFish, a genetically engineered tropical aquarium fish. In a recent resolution coordinated by Consumers International, the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue urged the European Union and U.S. govern-
Photo by istock PHOTO
The term genetic engineering (GE) often conjures visions of glow-in-the-dark animals, strange hybrid creatures, and other characters of science fiction. As it turns out, that isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. The development of GE animals can entail invasive and painful research, with large numbers of animals suffering to produce one line of acceptable “research subjects.” In addition to those concerns, complications may arise during studies, causing unintended effects on the animals and resulting in more suffering or adding to the number of “wasted” animals. Perhaps the most notorious genetically engineered animal in the news is the AquAdvantage salmon. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the salmon for human consumption in 2015 amid opposition from environmental, fishery, animal protection, and food safety groups. The AquAdvantage salmon are Atlantic salmon who are genetically engineered to grow to market size in 18 months, as opposed to the usual three years. While these genetically altered fish are making a splash in news headlines, there are many other areas of genetic engineering where scientists are dabbling with the makeup of animals for various purposes, including medical and agricultural research, and sometimes for no clear reason at all.