Report of the Committee to consider the ethical implications of emerging technologies in the breeding of farm animals / Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  • Great Britain. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Date:
1995
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Report of the Committee to consider the ethical implications of emerging technologies in the breeding of farm animals / Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/94 (page 33)
    procedure requires a hand held probe to be inserted into the animal’s rectum and manoeuvred in order to scan the uterus. For sheep and pigs the abdomen is scanned externally, in the same way as pregnant women are scanned. Current regulations 4.69 At the moment there is no specific legislation although general welfare controls will apply. Welfare concerns 4.70 The RCVS is concerned that in unskilled hands that there could be a threat to animal welfare through use of the rectal probe either because of the possibility of damage to surrounding tissues, or because of misdiagnosis and consequent mis- management. The RCVS has requested MAFF to consider regulating the procedure in bovines if it is to be performed by non-veterinarians. Comments and recommendations 4.71 Thereis some controversy about whether there is a problem with this technique. We recommend that FAWC review the evidence on this issue, and if necessary regulations be made, as appropriate. In vitro fertilization, semen and embryo sexing, and cloning 4.72 Al and embryo transfer are techniques which optimize selective breeding by allowing selection of both males and females as well as shortening the generation time. A number of techniques are also being developed to increase the number of embryos available for transfer. In vitro fertilization Techniques 4.73 In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the ways of producing large numbers of embryos and is currently used on a small scale in the UK and elsewhere, principally in relation to cattle. Immature oocytes are matured in a laboratory after collection from slaughtered cows at abattoirs. The oocytes are then fertilized using selected semen, cultured for a further period and then transferred to recipients. Oocytes for IVF can also be recovered from live cows (ovum pickup), by direct aspiration from the mature ovarian follicle by means of a needle passed through the wall of the vagina under ultrasound guidance. As it is a very skilled technique it is in limited use. Current regulations 4.74 Ovum pickup is an act of veterinary surgery within the meaning of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and can only be performed by a veterinary surgeon. The transfer of any embryos produced by these means is governed by the Bovine Embryo Collection and Transfer Regulations, 1993. Welfare concerns 4.75 Though ovum pickup is an act of surgery within the meaning of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, it is a relatively non-invasive intervention. Its use does, however, raise welfare issues and the fact that it may be performed as frequently as twice a week ona particular animal is cause for concern. Furthermore, the transfer of embryos produced by IVF has led in some cases to calves which have a higher birthweight than normal for