Scientists create GM 'superchicken' that doesn’t spread bird flu

[PacsMan]

So, what do ya'll think about this?
Would you ever use a GM chicken in your back yard?
Why or why not?
Marty

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By David Derbyshire
Last updated at 9:00 AM on 14th January 2011

Scientists create GM (Genetically Modified) 'superchicken' that doesn’t spread bird flu

A genetically modified 'superchicken' that doesn't spread deadly bird flu has been developed by scientists.
The bird is intended to prevent the outbreaks of avian influenza which lead to millions of birds being culled.
It could also stop new strains of flu mutating in domestic fowl and spreading to people, leading to killer worldwide pandemics.

The British team behind the GM chicken say it is 'inconceivable' that its meat or eggs could be harmful. However, it will need rigorous safety checks before it could go into the food chain, they said.

But anti GM campaigners warned that genetic engineering was not the answer to stopping bird flu - and said the public would never accept GM eggs and meat.
Avian flu is a serious threat to farmers and people. Although it does not easily infect humans, when it does it can be deadly.
The latest, most virulent strain - called H5N1 - has killed more than 300 people since 2003 in 15 countries and led to the deaths of millions of birds. In 2007 around 260,000 turkeys were culled in East Anglia after outbreaks of H5N1.

Read the entire article here ;

 

[muddyhorse]

I thought i read somewhere that Egyptian fayoumis did not get bird flu

 

[DTchickens]

I'll pass myself.

 

[Illia]

Honestly there are so FEW birds out there in the first place who get the Flu. . . It's like the Swine Flu stuff. -

 

[awesomefowl]

Quote:
Yeah, I'm not eating those birds!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

nope



I like my chickens honest - "made better for me by those in a lab"

 

[PacsMan]

So,
What if I told you that 75% of all processed foods in the U.S. already contain a Genitally Modified Ingredient?

I got this ditty straight from Wikipedia , which is always 100% correct, right?

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In 2009, countries that grew 95% of the global transgenic crops were the United States (46%), Brazil (16%), Argentina (15%), India (6%), Canada (6%), China (3%), Paraguay (2%) and South Africa (2%).[13] The Grocery Manufacturers of America estimate that 75% of all processed foods in the U.S. contain a GM ingredient.[31] In particular, Bt corn, which produces the pesticide within the plant itself, is widely grown, as are soybeans genetically designed to tolerate glyphosate herbicides.
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So I see several has said, "Nope, not I, thank you very much...."

I guess what I was looking for in this post, was more of a "Why Not?" answer.

Anyone.... Anyone...

 

[speckledhen]

Gee, I already call the CornishX's 'Franken-chickens'. Guess I spoke too soon.

 

[PacsMan]

Quote:
Which is worse, GM chickens, or Chickens bread to be "Franken-chickens"?

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

We change the genetics of animals all the time through selective breeding.

I am more inclusive of GM than most here. I would want to know exactly what kind of GM was done.

If there is a naturally occuring avian flu resistance gene (from say an Egyptian Fayoumis chicken) that was inserted to a chicken gene, that seems like what we would try to do with selective breeding, just faster. It does not seem inherently wrong to me. I would also think it about as likely that the eggs and meat would be unusable as it would from selective breeding attaining the same goal (very small to non-existent).

If they inserted a tomato gene into a chicken which somehow made it resistant, I'd have to think about that some more. Not all GM is good, but there may be some that are acceptable. We have to look further than the headline.

The longer term concern is whether stronger avian flu viruses would arise over time because of widespread resistant flocks. It does not always happen. We have not seen stronger polio errupt in the US which now has a widely resistant population.

The OP wants to know why we would reject GM chickens.

I would not grow them because I like the old standard varieties and having a mixed color/breed flock. In a mixed flock of old breeds and GM resistant birds, there would still be the possibility that my non-resistant birds could contract the disease and pass it to my family. So I see little benefit unless I have ONLY GM birds, which is not what I want.