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Gene editing breakthrough offers potential to end male day-old chick culling
Researchers have used gene editing techniques to create single sex mice litters which could also be used to improve animal welfare in the poultry industry. Scientists from the University of Kent’s School of Biosciences and the Francis Crick Institute have used the technology to create single sex litters with 100% efficiency.
BY TONY MCDOUGAL C
onfident of the results, the researchers believe their work demonstrates how the technology could be used to improve animal welfare in both scientific re- search and agriculture. In farming, only female ani-
mals are required for egg production and in dairy herds, which means that it is common practice for animals of the sex not required to be culled at birth. The researchers’ new method, published in Nature Communi- cations, uses a two-part genetic system to inactivate embryos shortly after fertilisation, allowing only the desired sex to de- velop. Such genetically-based methods to control the sex of offspring could dramatically reduce culling in both industries. They are now in discussion with the Roslin Institute, Edin- burgh, which is among the world leaders in the gene editing of livestock, to set up scientific pilot studies.
Far-reaching implications Dr Peter Ellis, author and senior lecturer in molecular genetics and reproduction at Kent University, said: “The implications of this work are potentially far reaching when it comes to im- proving animal welfare, but should be considered at ethical and regulatory levels”. “Between 4 and 6 billion chicks in the poultry industry are killed each year worldwide. In principle, we could set up a system so that instead of chicks having to be killed at birth when they have nervous systems and are potentially capable of suffering, those eggs are laid but simply never hatch,” he told BBC News.
Welfare first An independent report published earlier this month stated that the gene editing of farm animals must put welfare first. The report, published by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, warns that scrapping the current ban on the commercial de- velopment of gene-edited animals could increase livestock suffering. The Council wants a traffic light system which means that only genetically edited animals bred responsibly should be sold for food and it wants to see a wide ranging public debate given that the research is advancing rapidly. Peter Mills, the council’s assistant director, said: “Farming is a business and it is a requirement of farm animal breeders that they tread the line between what they can get out of it and animal welfare. What we are calling for is that this line be drawn more clearly”. One of the report’s authors, Peter Stevenson, chief policy ad- viser for the welfare organisation Compassion in World Farm- ing, said that while remaining wary of gene editing, the pos- sibility of its use to select the sex of chickens was a welcome development. “We support its use to improve animal welfare, such as ensuring that hens only produce female chicks, as this would prevent the killing of millions of unwanted male chicks in the UK each year.” The UK government is currently consid- ering allowing gene editing to be used by the arable and livestock sectors.
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 1, 2022
Scientists from the University of Kent’s School of Biosciences and the Francis Crick Institute have used gene edit- ing technology to create single sex mice litters with 100% efficiency.
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PHOTO: MARK PASVEER
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