How genetic editing may transform the poultry industry

Genetic engineering remains a hotly debated topic – and not just in agriculture.

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Genetic engineering remains a hotly debated topic – and not just in agriculture. Genetically-modified food animals could be lower in fat and genetically engineered eggs could have cancer-fighting properties, but as of yet, the only genetically modified meat available on the market is salmon.

Here are five ways gene editing is already making an impact on poultry production:

Stop the spread of disease

A new gene-editing technique, developed at the University of Edinburgh and published in the journal eLife, could stop the spread of the avian influenza virus. More than 50 million chickens and turkeys in the United States died of avian influenza during the 2014-2015 outbreak. The disease is zoonotic – which means it can also infect humans.

Using genetic engineering, the scientists removed the section of chicken DNA that produces ANP32A, a molecule used by avian influenza to replicate inside the body. After the genetic modification, the virus was no longer able to replicate itself in the chicken cells.

Further testing in live chickens is planned to verify the safety of this genetic mutation before this innovation will be available to producers, the study authors noted. If successful, the new technology could result in gene-edited chickens resistant to the deadly – and costly – disease.

A new initiative in Africa plans to use genomics to battle an extremely virulent strain of Newcastle disease. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious virus, killing approximately 750 million chickens annually in Africa.

The project, called the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Genomics to Improve Poultry, uses a combination of genomics and genetics to improve host immunity to the dangerous infection. The approach works together with vaccination programs to provide enhanced immunity to chickens, which are vital to nourishment, income, and food security in Africa.

In ovo chick sexing

Workers in the egg industry are currently only able to identify a chick’s sex after it hatches. Male chicks produced by this industry are typically culled because they cannot lay eggs and exhibit poor growth performance and meat quality.

As a result, approximately 3.2 billion male chicks are culled each year globally, a costly process criticized by animal rights groups. In response, egg producers throughout Western Europe and the U.S. have pledged to adopt in ovo sex sorting technology as soon as it is available.

Israeli startup eggXYT has pioneered a CRISPR-based gene editing process that places a biomarker on the male chromosome of an embryo, resulting in a glowing egg when exposed to a certain light. The technology acts as a gatekeeper, allowing breeders to identify males before they are hatched in order to divert them to food production.

The company has partnered with global players throughout the value chain to move the non-invasive tool from proof of concept to product.

Another Israeli team, this time using laboratory mice, has demonstrated a genetic system that guarantees only female progeny. The discovery could be helpful to farmers in the dairy and layer-poultry industries.

Improving vaccination through feed

Imagine if you could vaccinate an entire flock quickly and cheaply, while maintaining biosecurity?

Mazen Animal Health Inc. is working on a methodology that uses genetic modification to express subunit antigens in corn seed in order to create vaccines. Once these seeds are processed, they are then incorporated into animal feed.

This first of a kind technology works as an alternative to water-based or gel spray vaccines or injections, saving producers money while ensuring a more biosecure operation. The company is already working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) on a vaccine for the parasitic disease, coccidiosis.

The creation of lab-grown meat

Memphis Meats, a lab-grown meat startup whose backers include Bill Gates and Richard Branson, has filed two patents that “would create real chicken and beef tissue” using CRISPR-based technology.

Lab-grown meat, also known as cultured meat, has grown in popularity with customers as an environmentally friendly alternative to farmed meat.

Eggs that don’t cause allergies

Two percent of children worldwide are allergic to eggs. This affects not only affects what kind of food they consume, but also what sort of medications and vaccinations they can receive.

Researchers in Australia are working to develop a CRISPR-based technology that would cut out the genes for allergy-inducing proteins in chickens, resulting in hypoallergenic eggs.

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