The Rural Voice, 1998-05, Page 13Scrap Book
Breeders could
save millions by
preselecting sex
Livestock producers could
save millions of dollars by
preselecting the sex of their
livestock through a
technological breakthrough
designed by a University of
Guelph researcher.
Prof. Stan Belcher, molecular
biology and genetics, invented a
technology for sexing sperm
using an immunological
technique to detect certain male
or female -specific proteins on
the surfaces of sperm cells,
enabling male -producing sperm
to be separated from female. In
mammals, sex of an offspring is
determined by the male through
sperm.
It is believed this technology
will have a major importance to
the dairy, beef and swine
production industries where it is
anticipated the ability to predict
the sex of an offspring will
result in large productivity gains
— up to $2 billion a year in
North America and Western
Europe alone.
The technology has been
licensed on an exclusive global
basis to Ginsel Biotechnologies
Inc., a University of Guelph
spin-off incorporated in late
1996. The biotech company will
fully develop and
commercialize the invention.
Using the sperm -sexing
technology, which has been
proved to be 93 per cent
accurate, and artificial
insemination, dairy producers
will be able to breed for female
calves for milk production, pig
breeders will be able to select
females for their higher -quality,
leaner meat, and beef -cattle
breeders will be able to select
males for their superior muscle
development, lower fat content
and better feed efficiency. 0
—Source: University of Guelph
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