Trans_Genics Vs Hormones

[Lucky_Phill]

I have been wondering if anyone has been looking into the world of Trans-Genics. In particular Fish.

A specific trial was undertaken on Salmon. The scientists found that wild Salmon stopped growing when the water temperature dropped to a certain level. This was in the first 12 months of growth, so they found a Gene in another fish and placed that in the eggs of the Salmon that allowed it to grow all year round.

The result was a fish that was 4 - 6 times larger than the wild Salmon at the same age. The T-G Salmon also ate 30% less food and therefore produced 30% less waste.... a great advance for fish farming. BTW, the T-G fish are all sterile, so it's not possible to cross-contaminate the species, should one or more escape into the wild.

With the introduction, years ago, of Hormones to produce larger and quicker growing fish, many problems arose in the fact that a " hormone " was introduced into the system of the animal. It is believed that this hormone can be passed onto Humans that eat said fish. Also the eating habits of farmed fish produced an amount of waste that became an environmental issue that has in fact put some proposed farms to the deathbed, here in Australia.

At this stage, complete testing is currently being undertaken to try to assertain if any residual effects can be transfered to humans, but seeing as the Gene that is involved in Trans_Genics is a natural fish Gene and nothing Laboratory Grown or Artificially grown, the consensus is that this is all completely natural.

I don't want to go down the track of GM ( Genetically Modified ) Fish as I believe this is a completely different subject.


Without really knowing the ins and outs of this subject, it would be hard to make an educated offering, but the way I see it, we have to trust the scientists judgment at some stage.

Obviously down the track Trans_Genic technologies can be applied to other species and this could have huge ramifications for the Aquaculture Industries world wide.

We may have just touched the surface in this science and hopefully the right people get the right funding to produce the right results.

All opinions and facts welcome.

Phill

[choppa]

i read an "old" article phill that was about this during my hospital holiday,,, i agree that no specific test has been established to show any ill effect on human consumption,,,the debate arose around the area of the amount and frequency of consumption rate that "may" show effect

i admit,, i read this in 05,,,, and it was at that stage a year or 2 old,,,

dabbling with mother nature hasn't proved itself in any positive way since mankind evolved,,,, makes you wonder how a living thing can grow at the rate specified,,, but consume less nutrients,,,

T-G,,, i place in the same basket as steroid abuse,,,and Dr Franko,,, lots of people out there who regret the decision....

as a footnote,,, if it creates 30% less waste,,,,,, mmmmm don't tell mrs choppa,,, she thinks theres enough BS going on in the world now

choppa

[Flex]

All a Gene does is tell the body how to convert amino acids into certain protein combinations to make things in the body(i,e building blocks for every part of an animal).

So Trans genic manipulation is actually the safest and most logical next step in modifying our food sources to do what we want.

Not only is it used to make stock grow faster,use less food its also being used to help the environment.

They are doing it with virtually all live stock atm to get different results. eg Last night on ABC they are doing it with pigs to be able to digest phosphorous and lesses impact on the environment. As phosphorous is nasty stuff when it gets washed down the drain in pig poo.

They alter a gene slightly so it produces a certain protein, or alter its efficiency. The result is when other animals(Humans) consume them they are totally unaffected, unlike using Hormones.

It is very hard education the masses on its pro's and cons. Mention the word "Gene and modification" in a sentence and people freak out do a lack of understanding

[Didley]

Mate, it all looks very positive to me. Just keep it contained to farmed fish and not the wild stock and I'm all 4 it. That was a very interesting show.

Dids

[Damned67]

Transgenic is genetically modified. I/we deal with GMO's (genetically modified organisms) almost every day, and the animals I deal with are typically transgenics.

Obviously it's all in the advertising. You say yourself that transgenic sounds great, but GM's are bad. One in the same, really.

For me, transgenics/GMO's are great in the lab but that's about it. Oh, and my take on GM foods? What really is the difference between painfully cross-breeding some plant to get the characteristic you want, compared to splicing it together genetically in the lab, besides the time taken to do it of course? The outcome is identical, it's just two different paths to achieve the same end.

[Chimo]

Exactly, also off that show those Belgium Cattle selected over multiple generations and, was it 100yrs?, to achieve what they have now got. I have a feeling with TG /M they could possibly have done it better and in less time. Damn shame they don't lnow how to cook a steak.

Although the phospherescent jelly fish modified rabbits were a bit of a shock to the system probably the rabbits don't know they glow and if it will help us GOMs get to 150 and still be able to go boating even if fuel is $2000 per cubit then its probably worth it.

Fish that don't stop growing as the water temp falls seem like a b... good idea and will certainly enhance farmed fish production with obvious benefits for the wild stock. It is a normal gene that has been slpliced in and thats heaps better than hormones and antibiotics to make them grow without carking it. Them being sterile is an additional safeguard.

Cheers
Chimo

[Luc]

Here's a project to enhance freshwater impondments!!:o

Take spangled perch and splice in the growh gene from barra:P

Wow metre + spanglies;D

Luc

[webby]

Now if you crossed a snapper with a spottie, you could end up with speedy spotted snaps, or snapping spots, but it would certainly curtail the end of the plastic revolution, as the zzzzzzzzzzzzz's would quadrupple and their gear wouldnt handle the rush of power, they would have to fish heavier, change their tacts and most probable have to go back to good old bait, as they wouldnt be able to keep up the supply of plastic things being shredded ??????