Part 9, “ANIMAL AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.” Animal biotechnology, which includes both genetic engineering and mammalian cloning, has expanded rapidly in recent decades. These technologies already have been applied in biomedical research and now are nearing application within the food system.

PART 8, “ANIMAL AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.” This new paper, “Animal Productivity and Genetic Diversity: Cloned and Transgenic Animals,” discusses two of the most recent reproductive technologies used to improve agronomic traits in livestock. One main limitation to the further development and use of these technologies has been the lack of public acceptance.

When producers decide which carcass disposal method to use, they must consider the number of mortalities, the cause of death and whether infectious agents are involved, environmental implications, regulatory requirements, operational costs, and efficiency.

Methods for the disposal of poultry carcasses currently include burial, incineration, composting, and rendering. Although each method is preferable under specific circumstances, each also presents disadvantages, including potential effects on groundwater and increasing cost considerations.

Native North American wild sheep species are very susceptible to pneumonia and particularly to pasteurellosis. Although the current understanding about pasteurellosis in wild and domestic sheep is incomplete, respiratory disease clearly is a serious problem in both.

This Issue Paper provides a critical assessment of information available on methods of swine carcass […]

PART 7, “ANIMAL AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.” Infectious animal diseases continue to rank foremost among the significant factors limiting efficient production in animal agriculture. In addition, infectious agents that are transmitted from animals to humans by way of food and water present an increasing threat to the safety and security of the world food supply and continue to affect human health significantly.