Livestock cloning was approved by the FDA three months ago, but consumers still have concerns about the safety and ethics of cloning livestock.

Animal scientists in favor of cloning say it is just another tool to improve efficiency and improve the genetics of herds. Other producers see other options to fit consumer demands.

According to a study done by the National Center for Biotechnology, the risk of large offspring syndrome is increased in cloned animals due to hazards that would not normally occur in natural breeding.

Large offspring syndrome can cause abnormal development in the fetal stage, neonatal stage and later stages after cloning takes place.

“Livestock that are cloned will not go directly into food production,” said Max Rothschild, distinguished professor of animal science. “The producers simply want to clone superior individuals in their herds to produce a better-quality product more efficiently, and with continued research in food production, we are able to produce cheap, safe food for the American consumers, and with technology such as cloning, we can continue that trend.”

Animal cloning is still very expensive, said David Faber, president of Trans Ova Genetics in Sioux Center.

“These animals will be rock stars of the barnyard, and no one is interested in producing one to be eaten since it costs $20,000 to have a bull or cow cloned,” Faber said. “It’s another reproductive tool in our toolbox.”

Sixty-three percent of consumers polled by the International Food Information Council said they would not buy meat, milk or eggs that came from cloned animals.

Public opinion against cloned food may soon lead to voluntary use of “clone-free” labels on food in the supermarket.

Maynard Hogberg, professor and chairman of animal science, said there is an important distinction between cloned animals and transgenic animals.

“When we clone animals, we are splitting the embryo, which is the same process that takes place when identical twins are born naturally,” Hogberg said. “By cloning, we can replicate superior individuals faster – versus transgenic animals, where we use genes from animal A and we add to animal B to make the superior individual.”

Transgenic animals can have a huge impact on scientific research, Rothschild said. For example, researchers can identify the genes necessary to produce useful proteins and insert them into animal cells, creating an animal that produces those proteins.

“Transgenic animals, with further research, could help produce proteins in their milk to help provide hemophiliac patients clotting factors for their blood so they do not bleed to death,” Rothschild said.

The Picket Fence Creamery in Woodward provides natural alternatives for consumers wary of products from clones. The creamery offers dairy products that are produced without the use of cloning, growth hormones or antibiotics.

“Our milk is 100 percent natural, produced without the use of artificial hormones, from cows that live outside. We have not used chemicals on our farm for 15 years,” said Jill Burkhart, who helped start the Picket Fence Creamery with her husband Jeff. “Quite simply, we use the farming practices we believe in, that are best for the environment and that will in some small way ensure that future generations have a chance at enjoying good, wholesome foods.”

Animal scientists who support livestock cloning believe it can help create successful breeding programs to improve the quality of our nation’s food supply.

“I’m all for preserving safety and consumer confidence in our food supply,” Faber said. “I’m not asking for shortcuts. I believe that we need to base our decisions on sound science and objective data as opposed to selecting food and drugs based on popular opinion and public perception.”