Cattle DNA Testing for Paternity
Posted in Evolution, Heredity, dna testing on July 6th, 2009 by Ask Kate – Be the first to commentI have been reading a lot in the news about celebrity paternity testing (links generated by my Google alerts for paternity test), and I found a few articles about DNA Testing in cattle. As a little bit of a science geek it intrigued me. Thought I would share my findings.
While this is not a service offered by IDENTIGENE, it is out there. Apparently, DNA Testing is used in cattle farming for many reasons. For example, a farmer may test new cattle for paternity in a multiple bull breeding pasture. Reasons for this include determining whether a bull is not breeding as often as others or which bull is producing bulls with ‘defects.’
Other farmers have been known to test the DNA of their cattle to curb out poor traits before breeding them. There are a few major traits being tested for currently, one is curly calf syndrome. This type of DNA Testing is done in an attempt to ensure that only the best cattle are reproducing.
While this testing in cattle may in fact produce a better crop of cows, it is eerily familiar. I know its a reach from cattle DNA testing to a world like GATTACA, but I always get a little curious as to how far eugenics will take our society with DNA testing in its tool box. But then again I think too much.
Even without this theory in mind the idea that we are using this type of testing for our cattle and various crops is extremely interesting, at least to me. Really, where will we go next? Any thoughts or questions?

