How Does Phosphorus Affect The Environment
To numerous people, pigs are a nuisance. They are usually viewed as dirty animals with no purpose other than for food. However, pigs contribute greatly to the environment. They are able to digest certain substances easier than humans and use resources to make life easier for us. On the other hand, phosphorus, one of the many essential nutrients for swine, has negatively impacted the environment due to swine excretions. Elevating this problem has led to the genetic improvement of swine. Phosphorus is crucial for healthy growth in pigs. Unfortunately, 50 to 70 percent of the phosphorus in grain is in the form of phytic acid, a compound indigestible by pigs. This is the reason many farmers have to supplement pig diets with an enzyme called phytase.
Phytase is responsible for breaking down phytic acid and it helps pigs digest more of the nutrient. The problem is after the enzyme does its job, the pigs cannot store it and it is not needed. Consequently, it is excreted. Pig manure is high is phytase. When farmers use the manure for fertilizer, the chemicals enter the water runoff and cause algae to grow. The algae then depletes the oxygen in the water, which kills marine life. After this problem was discovered, researchers worked to find a solution. Thus, the Enviropig was born. Enviropig is the term for a genetically modified line of Yorkshire pigs with the capability to digest phosphorus more efficiently than conventional unmodified pigs. E. Coli bacteria and mouse DNA was added to a pig embryo. This new pig synthesizes phytase in its salivary glands, eliminating the need for additional supplements or enzymes in the feed. By digesting more phosphorus, the Enviropig also produces less phosphorus in its waste. The Envriopig gene has been heavily tested. Enviropigs look and act like normal pigs. They are healthy and breed normally. The only apparent difference is that they are environmentally friendly. Enviropigs produce 70% less phosphorous than the average pig. This significantly reduces the amount of harmful substances entering the environment and harming it. Though no studies indicate a food safety risk from genetically modified Enviropig pork, meat from the Enviropig is not yet available for human consumption. It is believed to have no adverse effects and to possibly improve food production. When transgenic foods are accepted by consumers, Enviropig will most likely be one of the firsts on the market.
Phytase is responsible for breaking down phytic acid and it helps pigs digest more of the nutrient. The problem is after the enzyme does its job, the pigs cannot store it and it is not needed. Consequently, it is excreted. Pig manure is high is phytase. When farmers use the manure for fertilizer, the chemicals enter the water runoff and cause algae to grow. The algae then depletes the oxygen in the water, which kills marine life. After this problem was discovered, researchers worked to find a solution. Thus, the Enviropig was born. Enviropig is the term for a genetically modified line of Yorkshire pigs with the capability to digest phosphorus more efficiently than conventional unmodified pigs. E. Coli bacteria and mouse DNA was added to a pig embryo. This new pig synthesizes phytase in its salivary glands, eliminating the need for additional supplements or enzymes in the feed. By digesting more phosphorus, the Enviropig also produces less phosphorus in its waste. The Envriopig gene has been heavily tested. Enviropigs look and act like normal pigs. They are healthy and breed normally. The only apparent difference is that they are environmentally friendly. Enviropigs produce 70% less phosphorous than the average pig. This significantly reduces the amount of harmful substances entering the environment and harming it. Though no studies indicate a food safety risk from genetically modified Enviropig pork, meat from the Enviropig is not yet available for human consumption. It is believed to have no adverse effects and to possibly improve food production. When transgenic foods are accepted by consumers, Enviropig will most likely be one of the firsts on the market.