Animal Science and Biotechnology

MANIKANDAN.A Asst. Prof. Dept. of Biotech/MEC

Physiological Needs of Animals

Food/ Nutrients

Animals CANNOT produce their own food

Must consume other living organisms for energy

Respiration
Converting sugars to chemical energy Occurs in the mitochondria

Some nutrients can be absorbed through environmental conditions- i.e.: sunlight

Physiological Needs of Animals

Oxygen
Usually absorbed by animals from the air Occasionally absorbed through water or other means (ex- fish) All animals are AEROBIC

Aka- they will die without oxygen

Physiological Needs of Animals

Water
Other than air, the single most important factor in the survival of all animals Animals can only last a few days at most without water, though they can last days without food.

Physiological Needs of Animals

Other Important Inorganic Nutrients

Vitamins

B12, A, E, C, etc. Calcium, Phosphorus, etc.

Minerals

Immune System Characteristics

Lymph System
In advanced animals Utilizes white blood cells and antibodies to attack any antigens in the blood of an organism Vaccines help the body form antibodies more quickly, while under less stress

Animal Biotechnology
Objective : Analyze the impact of biotechnology on animal disease prevention, diagnosis, and management

Animal Disease Diagnosis

ELISA tests
Utilize antigens to determine the presence of antibodies for a given pathogen in a blood sample Antibodies indicate the presence of a particular pathogen being fought The tests are usually produced from antigens extracted from research animals

Animal Disease Diagnosis

Bacterial Infections
Are tested in animals by biotechnology by culturing samples in an incubator Different agar medias can be used to determine the presence of different bacteria upon examination after growth

Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment

Biotechnology has enabled researchers to produce animals with genetic resistance to many pathogens

Use gene segments from naturally resistant organisms

Find the gene in sharks that makes them resistant to cancer for use in humans Produce animals with gene segments coding for the production of proteins to attack potential parasitic organisms

Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment

The production of antibodies in one organism for use in another is an important biotechnology technique used in vaccines
Jumpstarts the immune system of an animal Also used in humans

Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment

The utilization of genes coding for the production of certain medical compounds (including antibiotics) in a variety of livestock enables agriculturalists to

Provide preventative medication in semicontrolled doses to populations on a large scale

Animal Biotechnology
Objective: Discuss the role of genetic engineering and biotechnology on improving animal breeding

Biotechnology Techniques in Animal Breeding

Artificial Insemination
Process of extracting and diluting semen from a male animal for use in a female animal Allows for outstanding genetic characteristics to be spread through a population rapidly with minimal expense and high success

One ejaculate can produce more than 60 semen straws in cattle and horses

Biotechnology Techniques in Animal Breeding

Knockout Animals

Used to determine the function of specific genes, by creating animals without these genes

Biotechnology Techniques in Animal Breeding

Cloning

Rarely used in animals

Expensive and large amounts of tissue damage Used for research or to preserve the most outstanding traits and characteristics

Usually requires the use of specialized sex cells, though recent advancements with enucleation have led to applications for cloning other cells

Biotechnology Techniques in Animal Breeding

In Vitro Fertilization

Process involving the removal of embryos from a female for fertilization and insertion into surrogate mothers for development
Expensive and chancy (embryos could be rejected by the surrogates) Many haploid cells and embryos may be destroyed

Biotechnology Techniques in Animal Breeding

In Vitro Fertilization

A more common method is transferring fertilized eggs from a super-ovulated female to other females

One female can produce many times more offspring

Problems with Biotechnology in Animal Reproduction

Genetic Diversity

Could possibly decrease with increased use of biotechnology

Less diversity in breeds/ species Most important negative aspect of increased use of biotechnology

Problems with Biotechnology in Animal Reproduction

Expense/ Technical Knowledge

Some processes can easily be completed on the farm Many techniques still require expensive laboratory equipment or facilities.

Animal Biotechnology
Objective: Evaluate the function of hormones in animal growth and body regulation

Function of Animal Hormones

Control animal growth and behavior Initiate physiological responses necessary for the reproduction of animals Located in specialized glands throughout the body

Pituitary gland, thyroid gland

Function of Animal Hormones

Anabolic Steroids
Specialized hormones that are partially responsible for muscle growth and development Even with prolonged use, steroid use in animals has little effect on muscle and bone USDA and FDA have approved the use of low levels of hormones in beef cattle, dairy cattle, and hogs HORMONE USE IN POULTRY IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED

Examples of Animal Hormones

Bovine Somatotropine (BST)

Naturally occurring hormone in dairy cows that controls the process of milk production Extra BST produced by bacteria can be injected into dairy cattle to increase milk production

Examples of Animal Hormones

Hormones important in sexual reproduction and characteristics

Estrogen
Produced in large quantities in females Feminine characteristics Controls the menstrual cycle

Testosterone
Common in varying levels in males Can lead to aggression- castration

Animal Biotechnology
Objective: Practice biotechnology techniques utilized in animal breeding.

Performing Artificial Insemination

Analyzing the breeding potential of an animal

Utilizes EPDs

Likelihood that an offspring will possess the same beneficial characteristics of the parent

Performing Artificial Insemination

Semen Collection/ Analysis

Semen is collected from male animals either by hand or through the use of an artificial vagina Sample is analyzed to measure concentration and test motility/ viability

Motility- movement of individual sperm cells Viability- # or % of active and functional sperm cells in a sample

Performing Artificial Insemination

Semen Collection/ Analysis

Sample is then divided into 80+ straws and flash frozen for long term storage
Extension solutions- semen can be diluted and stored for long periods of time Semen can remain viable for over 30 years Sperm can be sexed, but it requires expensive equipment utilizing lasers: can measure larger amounts of genetic material in female sperm cells

Performing Artificial Insemination

Monitoring and Prepping the Female

Female is monitored to predict time of ovulation

Can use hormones to induce ovulation in an entire population or herd Standing is a good sign that ovulation is close

If timing is not correct, artificial insemination is useless because fertilization wont happen

Performing Artificial Insemination

Thawing Semen
Straws should be stored in a container using liquid nitrogen to maintain subzero temperatures Straws should be quickly removed from the container, shaken, an immediatedly placed in a water bath at 99 F for 15 seconds

Shaking removes water from the exterior to avoid breaking the seal

Performing Artificial Insemination

Inseminating the Female

Most methods utilize a specialized gun to deliver the semen from the straw to the female The inseminator (thats the person) inserts the gun into the vagina of the female, through the cervix, to release the semen into the uterus The other hand of the inseminator is gloved and inserted into the rectum to palpate the location of the cervix and guide the gun through without damage

Performing In Vitro Fertilization & Embryo Transfer

Gathering Eggs
In Vitro- Eggs are usually removed from the ovaries in large quantities through simple surgery Embryo Transfer- Eggs are fertilized in the uterus of the female

Female given hormone to induce super-ovulation During ovulation, the female is inseminated (results in many viable embryos) A special catheter is used to take out the fertilized eggs from the womb and into surrogate mothers

Performing In Vitro Fertilization & Embryo Transfer

Benefits of In Vitro Fertilization

Requires the smallest amount of semen Ensures the production of viable embryos, which can be stored indefinitely Often used in cloning because the sperm or egg can be genetically manipulated prior to fertilization

Animal Biotechnology
Objective : Trace the process of cloning in animals

Cloning History
First animal cloned was a tadpole in 1957 First animal cloned from diploid cells was Dolly the sheep in 1996 In 2002, a private company claimed to have successfully cloned the first human child

Animal Cloning Process

The simplest method is the division of fertilized eggs (embryos) All methods are expensive and result in large losses of developing embryos

Dolly was the only success out of 300+ attempts

Animal Cloning Process

Most require the use of sex cells to obtain genetic material

Under normal conditions, diploid cells in animals rarely differentiate Dolly was cloned from DNA removed from a mammary cell placed into an enucleated egg

Animal Cloning Process

Tools

Micromanipulator is the most important tool

Used to divide cells, remove DNA, enucleate cells, and reinsert DNA

Animal Cloning Issues

Most animal clones produced are not true clone since their production utilizing enucleated eggs DOES NOT alter all nucleic acids

Clones retain the mitochondrial DNA of the original egg

Animal Cloning Issues

Environmental factors limit the effectiveness of clones in producing exact physical replicas of animals

Clones may have identical DNA, yet have different color patterns, be a different size, and exhibit different mental/physical characteristics depending on ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS