“Somatic cell nuclear transfer” is a well known cloning method. This fundamental
experimental tool has improved many domains, including human medicine. Some scientists have
used this innovative method to protect rare animal species.
The “Somatic cell nuclear transfer” can also be used by farmers, in order to breed the
animals for larger quantities of milk, meat and for higher residence in front of diseases.
Recently, the UK’s Food Standards Agency announced the possibility of beef and milk sales
from cloned cattle. According to the last week`s New York Times, a British farmer sold milk
from a cow bread to a clone. The offspring of the cloned cow entered into the food industry
last year, as the UK`s Food Standards Agency declared for New York Times. The agency also
mentioned that the process was illegal, because cloned animals need special authorizations
before entering the food market. The European Commission experts have declared they voted
for a ban regarding foods made from clones, highlighting that this did not became a law yet.
After a five years investigation, in 2008,the US Food and Drug Administration announced the
similarity between the food made using cloned animals and the traditionally food.
What is really happening with a cloned animal? The life of cloned animals is short, in the
best case they will die after birth or worst during pregnancy. The problems which usually
appear at cloned cattle are related with breathing, with the brain and kidneys. They also
can be extremely large or can be heavier than normal animals. Recent innovative cloning
techniques have lowered the abnormally level of offspring. The first cloned mammal was made
by scientist Ian Malmut along with his UK team, back in 1996. The animal that they cloned
was a sheep; now known as the famous Dolly.
A deficit of communication was developed between the European Commission officials and the
American Food Agency experts. They argue about the danger of the cloned animals over the
people. Europe considers that the meat and milk produced from a cloned mammal is safe for
human consumption, as the US thinks the opposite. So who shall we trust?
