Thursday, April 29, 2021

"China Wants to Improve Genetics of Its Pigs So They’re Fatter and Eat Less"

 

In an article by Bloomberg titled "China Wants to Improve Genetics of Its Pigs So They're Fatter and Eat Less", it is outlined that the agriculture ministry’s National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Committee plans to use the National Pig Genetic Improvement program in an attempt to breed livestock which produce more meat, but require less grain feed (calories) to meet higher levels of body mass. The drive to produce genetically superior livestock is hugely apparent in China, with large numbers of their livestock being imported from foreign countries such as Denmark. Success in this regard would allow China to better feed its increasingly affluent population, as well as reduce pressure on land used in agriculture. 


Resources & Information

Article: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-28/china-aiming-for-fatter-pigs-that-east-less-in-genetics-program

Chinese Agriculture: http://www.fao.org/china/fao-in-china/china-at-a-glance/en/ 

6 comments:

  1. If only that was possible for us humans, eat more get skinnier. Lol, interesting article you chose!

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  2. Wow here come the GMO's. I would be intrested to see how this affects the bodies of humans that eat this.

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  3. That would be extremely cost effective for China to come up with a way to make pigs fatter and eat less. The side benefits, such as reducing the pressure on land used in agriculture makes this worth it. I hope it works out.

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    1. As do I. I am not worried about GMO's. Unless research suggests a danger between the specific GMO and a disorder, there is no evidence to discourage the use of that kind of tech. If it makes anyone feel any better, eating other organisms doesn't cause you to integrate the DNA of your food into your own.

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  4. Interesting read right here. I would never expect that eating more would help you lose weight. I guess that China is trying something that may change the world.

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  5. This was an interesting read. I wonder what the implications of this use of genetics will be, given that it is successful. It will most certainly help China in terms of sustainability for its growing population and help decrease the pressure on the land used for livestock. Still, I also wonder how this technology might be used for other purposes as well.

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