This week, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) approved, or more accurately declared, a “low risk determination” for heat tolerant gene-edited cattle. The company involved used the CRISPR gene-editing technique to produce cattle with the short-hair trait, known as a “slick coat.” Some scientists say cattle with an extremely short coat may be better able to tolerate hot weather (think Angus instead of Brangus in the southern Plains). The gene editing is known as PRLR-SLICK cattle, and commercial PRLR-SLICK cattle bred using conventional breeding techniques would not have to register with FDA for producing meat animals. The FDA stated, “the food from the cattle is the same as food from conventio...

TAGS – Livestock, North America