Current status and future of gene engineering in livestock

Abstract

The application of gene engineering in livestock is necessary for various reasons, such as increasing productivity and producing disease resistance and biomedicine models. Overall, gene engineering provides benefits to the agricultural and research aspects, and humans. In particular, productivity can be increased by producing livestock with enhanced growth and improved feed conversion efficiency. In addition, the application of the disease resistance models prevents the spread of infectious diseases, which reduces the need for treatment, such as the use of antibiotics; consequently, it promotes the overall health of the herd and reduces unexpected economic losses. The application of biomedicine could be a valuable tool for understanding specific livestock diseases and improving human welfare through the development and testing of new vaccines, research on human physiology, such as human metabolism or immune response, and research and development of xenotransplantation models. Gene engineering technology has been evolving, from random, time-consuming, and laborious methods to specific, time-saving, convenient, and stable methods. This paper reviews the overall trend of genetic engineering technologies development and their application for efficient production of genetically engineered livestock, and provides examples of technologies approved by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for application in humans.

Advancement of animal and poultry nutrition: Harnessing the power of CRISPR-Cas genome editing technology

“…For instance, researchers have effectively created probiotic strains using the CRISPR-Cas method to enhance nutritional absorption and decrease disease invasion in animals [ 26 ]. Besides, researchers could potentially be able to breed livestock with higher feed conversion efficiency, disease resistance, and meat quality qualities by focusing on genes associated with metabolism, immunity, and growth [ 27 ], [ 28 ]. For example, according to a recent study, it is possible to target certain genes in pigs using CRISPR-Cas technology to boost the production of lean meat and muscle growth [ 27 , 29 ].…”