Causes and Effects of Genetic Engineering of Animals and...

Have you ever wondered how those Thanksgiving turkeys get to be so big and plump? How about those delicious fruits and vegetables? What helps them stay so fresh even after leaving the supermarket? The answer could quite possibly be genetic engineering. Years of crossbreeding various breeds of farm animals have led to many new breeds bearing traits that they would not have otherwise. Researchers have even developed techniques that make it possible to directly alter the genes of different crops. There are causes and effects of genetic engineering in animals and plants. With the population of Earth growing at a constant rate, food is becoming more and more scarce. While the effects of this are not as pronounced in many parts of the world,†¦show more content†¦In the 1930s, the Danish Landrace was crossbred with other American breeds, leading to several new lines that met the demand for less fat and more lean meat. These new lines were also capable of producing larger litters as well as bigger pigs. In order to produce sheep that were able to thrive more easily in Western ranges; American breeders crossed the Lincoln, a breed that was good for long wool and mutton, with the fine-wooled Rambouillet. Through inbreeding between the lines produced by crossing these two breeds, the Columbia was born. Along with the Targhee, another sheep produced in a manner similar to the Columbia, they became popular among sheep farmers for their ability to survive in the environment of Western ranges, as well as being able to produce satisfactory amounts of wool and meat. Cattle farmers were also faced with the issue of increasing survivability in their animals. This lead to the birth of three new cattle breeds. The first breed was known as the Santa Gertrudis. They were developed in Texas by crossbreeding Shorthorns and the Brahmans, a breed from India that was known for being resistant to heat and insects. The Santa Gertrudis was eventually imported to South and Cent ral America thanks to its inherited traits. It would eventually pass on these traits to the local cattle, improving their overall quality as well as resistances. The second breed, the Brangus, was bredShow MoreRelatedGenetic Engineering : Genetically Modified Organisms Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pagesmeaning that their genetic materials have been modified. This modification is achieved through a technological method, genetic engineering. Genetic engineering also known as recombinant DNA technology/genetic modification is a science that employs molecular biology techniques so as to modify or alter the genome of an organism. It involves manipulation of an organism’s genome directly by use of biotechnology. 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