The potential impact of current animal research on the meat industry and consumer attitudes towards meat
Introduction
A huge increase in life science and biotechnology research expenditure has been witnessed since the 1970s. For example, in 2000, biotechnology companies in the USA raised $ 40,000,000,000 on the US stock exchange (Griffith, 2001). The GMO crisis in Europe, Japan and increasingly in the USA, however, has had a negative impact on research and development. Many companies operating in this field have been disappointed with the profitability of their agricultural activities and have re-focused their activities towards the pharmaceutical industries (Les groupes mondiaux se délestent de leur agrochimie, 2000a, Eichenwald et al., 2001). The limited and decreasing worldwide public funding on animal and meat science (with the exception of BSE) and limited private financing of research in this field has left the meat production sector lagging behind other sectors of life science. Animal biotechnology is a poor fourth to human, microbial and plant biotechnology. Nonetheless, the worldwide research effort is very important and the developments are rapid and momentous, particularly with genomic studies. The growing knowledge of the human and mouse genome can be utilised in farm animal research (so-called comparative genomics) and may lead to several applications in the meat industry.
This paper reviews the principal trends in the various research disciplines and future options for animal science, using pigs as the main example, and examines the potential implications of technological developments on the meat sector and attempts to take account of consumer attitudes.
Section snippets
Animal sciences and the consumer
The consumer is increasingly involved in, and influencing the whole food chain, agriculture, and science. Food safety crises and livestock epizooties have shaken both consumers and political confidence in animal sciences and the meat chain at large. Harington's (1994) list of consumer concerns: ethical, food safety, nutrition and fat, animal welfare, “third world”, the environment and genetic engineering, still remains valid. In a recent review Heiney (2001) describes modern agriculture as
Animal reproduction biotechnologies
Progress in animal reproduction science and the application of new technologies in livestock and poultry production have been relatively slow. However, new technologies for the production of embryos in vitro may accelerate the transfer of genetic progress to the production level by reducing genetic lag and by providing more customised or tailored genetics to specific markets (Simpson, Kojima, Kada, Miyazaki, & Yoshida, 1996). This is already possible with cattle and sheep but technical
Quantitative and molecular genetics
Progress is continuing in the area of quantitative genetics (Hill, 1999) and is fuelled by the opportunities provided by biotechnology in terms of data collection (genomics) and dissemination of genetic improvement (reproduction). For example, the technique of optimal genetic contribution can improve genetic improvement by 10–20% (Hanenberg & Merks, 2000). Other examples include methods for the optimal use of DNA markers in selection schemes. For example, the combination of Best Linear Unbiased
Animal physiology and biochemistry
New developments in the area of animal physiology and biochemistry will result from the use of functional genomics and proteomics techniques in muscle biology research. Skeletal muscle is composed of fibres and adipose and connective tissues. It becomes meat at slaughter. Muscle fibre number and condition are important physiological parameters in the live animal and key determinants of muscle quality and quantity (Swatland, 1973, Lengerken et al., 1994). Early embryonic development and
Nutrition
Improvement of meat production efficiency, including its environmental impact, remains the main priority for the feed industries. The manipulation of the sensorial and nutritional quality of meat through animal nutrition strategies, however, is gaining importance. The composition of the macro-elements within the feed may be altered by the introduction of new plant varieties and species, some of them genetically modified for a targeted chemical composition. The targeted use of fats, vitamins and
Low input systems
Consumer concerns regarding livestock farming, the interaction between sustainable livestock farming systems and the environment, the increasing lack of manpower in farming and end-product quality requirements have led to considerable scientific developments in the area of low-input extensive farming systems (see New Scientist, 2001, Pretty, 1998; and for review Gagnaux et al., 2000, Galal et al., 2000). The integration of different scientific disciplines like soil and grass science,
Transgenesis
The case against genetically modified meat is clear. In a recent survey of EU opinion formers, no retailer, food manufacturer, consumer association, NGO, pharmaceutical company, biotechnology organisation or Government body saw the possibility of any involvement of transgenic animals in food production (Moses, 1999). Other surveys showed that genetically modified foods ranked the highest in concerns of UK consumers (Mintel, 2000). However, this must be considered in relation to developments in
Conclusion
The logic of biotechnology points to a possible long-term future without meat animals. Muscle proteins may be derived from tissue culture and ‘cheap protein’ for further processing grown hydroponically (Tudge, 1993). The rapid progresses in molecular and quantitative genetics, reproduction technologies, animal nutrition and muscle science carry with them a huge potential. The possibilities of higher quality meat, of differentiated products with high added value and uniformity of slaughter
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