Both genes involved in the creation of the Enviropig come from two very different sources. The first gene was taken from the bacteria Escherichia Coli and codes for that’s species ability to create phytase. Phytase is an enzyme that allows for the breakdown and digestion of phytic acid, an indigestible form of phosphorous found in grains. The second gene was taken from mice and promotes the continuous secretion of proteins in the salivary glands. By combining the two genes together successfully within the pig, researchers gave these pigs the innate ability to continually secrete phytase within their saliva. With the addition of phytase to the pig’s digestive system, the Enviropig is now able to successfully digest phytic acid. This ability
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While normal pig manure is effective as a phosphorous fertilizer, the vast majority manure from pigs being farmed, some 990 million at any given time, is not used in such a way and this leads to high levels of ground phosphorous build up in areas where pigs are farmed. Initially, this is not a problem, but after heavy rainfall or the springtime snow thaw, the high levels of phosphorous can find its way into various sources of water and once there, often leads to toxic algal blooms. These algal blooms are quickly fueled by the massive concentration of phosphorous as it is a required nutrient for their growth and as they grow to colossal sizes they have a dual negative effect on the water they inhabit. The first effect is drastically lowering the amount of oxygen within the water supply, which eventually kills all of the fish that inhabit it and the second is that many species of algae that form in these blooms also secrete toxins into the water, making it unsuitable for drinking. By replacing most commercially farmed pigs with the Enviropig, or by creating similar transgenic organisms with other breeds of pig, the amount of phosphorous leeched into rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and other sources of water would be reduced by between 30 and 70.7%, which would then cause a reduction of the toxic algal blooms which would keep sources of water and …show more content…
In a world where the environment is already very rapidly degrading due to global warming, deforestation, and pollution, it seems like a no brainer to begin farming transgenic pigs like the Enviropig on a commercial scale. Not only does it lessen the negative effect we are subjecting the environment to, but unlike hybrid cars, in the long run the Enviropig becomes cheaper for mankind to produce. With most concerns that have been raised about such an innovation being based on fear and not rooted in fact, I see few to no drawbacks from creating more environmentally friendly pigs. The only other options I could see working to help the environment (and by extension, society) would be to completely stop farming pigs or supplementing all hog feed with phytase, but you’ll certainly never see the former happening anytime soon and the latter is the same process, just in a more expensive and laborious form. To ignore this advancement because of an illogical fear of GMO’s is a crime against society and the environment and I hope someday soon we see this research stop being research and start being the
While normal pig manure is effective as a phosphorous fertilizer, the vast majority manure from pigs being farmed, some 990 million at any given time, is not used in such a way and this leads to high levels of ground phosphorous build up in areas where pigs are farmed. Initially, this is not a problem, but after heavy rainfall or the springtime snow thaw, the high levels of phosphorous can find its way into various sources of water and once there, often leads to toxic algal blooms. These algal blooms are quickly fueled by the massive concentration of phosphorous as it is a required nutrient for their growth and as they grow to colossal sizes they have a dual negative effect on the water they inhabit. The first effect is drastically lowering the amount of oxygen within the water supply, which eventually kills all of the fish that inhabit it and the second is that many species of algae that form in these blooms also secrete toxins into the water, making it unsuitable for drinking. By replacing most commercially farmed pigs with the Enviropig, or by creating similar transgenic organisms with other breeds of pig, the amount of phosphorous leeched into rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and other sources of water would be reduced by between 30 and 70.7%, which would then cause a reduction of the toxic algal blooms which would keep sources of water and …show more content…
In a world where the environment is already very rapidly degrading due to global warming, deforestation, and pollution, it seems like a no brainer to begin farming transgenic pigs like the Enviropig on a commercial scale. Not only does it lessen the negative effect we are subjecting the environment to, but unlike hybrid cars, in the long run the Enviropig becomes cheaper for mankind to produce. With most concerns that have been raised about such an innovation being based on fear and not rooted in fact, I see few to no drawbacks from creating more environmentally friendly pigs. The only other options I could see working to help the environment (and by extension, society) would be to completely stop farming pigs or supplementing all hog feed with phytase, but you’ll certainly never see the former happening anytime soon and the latter is the same process, just in a more expensive and laborious form. To ignore this advancement because of an illogical fear of GMO’s is a crime against society and the environment and I hope someday soon we see this research stop being research and start being the