Genetic Modification of Animals

Genetic Modification of Animals In the realm of science, there are continuous developments and discoveries every day. One particular development called genetic engineering is having a momentous impact on many of the foods we consume from day to day. It is more than likely that the chicken, pork, or any other form of meat we eat has been modified in some aspect. “The aim of genetic engineering is to introduce, enhance or delete particular characteristics of an organism.”1 Genetic engineering can be used for something as simple as increasing the amount of milk produced in cows; to the physical composition of an animal. While many people believe genetic engineering creates a safer product for consumers, the opposition argues that there are ethical issues and health concerns. The utilization of this method on animals infringes on the rights of animals: there is a significant amount of evidence suggesting that modified animals are more susceptible to stress and disease. Nonetheless, genetic modification negatively impacts the health of consumers, the animals, and strips the rights of sentient beings as a means for inexpensive food. Genetic engineering is a method that appears to favor the industry over the consumers; sensibility is replaced with greed and the animals as well as consumers of genetically modified meat are the ones that pay the price.
Following the discovery of DNAs sequence, almost instantaneously, the concept of modifying the DNA arose. “From the moment it was known that the structure of DNA directly determines the structure of proteins, it was in principle possible to manipulate one or the other by chemical reactions that determine and modify the structure of genes. This presupposes that the genetic information manipulated in this way can be expressed.”2 Therefore, by manipulating DNA, the structure of proteins that make up an animal can be modified to express specific characteristics. By doing so, scientists gained the ability to strengthen the

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