Kiran Chug reports in the Dominion Post that AgResearch may have to slaughter genetically modified cows if a current application to produce more of them is rejected.
The application asks that AgResearch use transgenic cows to develop and produce a medicinal milk, but is facing opposition from some groups who say the research is unethical.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“The long-term goal of such work was to have commercial herds of genetically engineered animals producing milk proteins that could be used by pharmaceutical companies to make medicines.
“Dr Suttie was unable to say how many genetically engineered cows AgResearch currently had, although it was allowed to have up to 200.
“If the application was rejected, those cows would either have to be slaughtered or AgResearch would have to apply to Erma to keep them but not do any research on them.”