Genetically modified cows die at research center!
HAMILTON, New Zealand - May 1, 2010 - Three genetically modified cows born at the AgResearch center at Ruakura, Hamilton, were born with ovaries that grew so large they caused ruptures and killed them.
The animals being used in a study in which AgResearch scientists were seeking human fertility treatments through GM cows' milk.
AgResearch was now studying tissue from one of the three dead calves to try to find out what made the ovaries grow to the size of tennis balls rather than the usual thumbnail-size, the Weekend Herald reported today.
The newspaper obtained details of the deaths in an Official Information Act request and said it had reignited debate over the ethics of GM trials on animals.
AgResearch's applied technologies group manager, Dr. Jimmy Suttie, said the deaths were not a big deal and told the newspaper they were part of the learning process for scientists.
However, GE-Free NZ spokesman Jon Carapiet told the newspaper details of the calf trial showed the animal welfare committee overseeing AgResearch's work was "miles away from the ethics and values of the community".
The calves died last year, aged six months.
They were formed when human genetic code injected into a cow cell was added to an egg from a cow's ovary and put into a cow's uterus.
It was part of an experiment to see if the genetic code would enable the cows that were produced to produce milk containing compounds that could be used as a human fertility treatment.
