Quote:
Originally Posted by AlphaFrog
Can someone explain why cloning would be a more cost effective way of production then breeding?? It's not like in the cartoons where you put a full grown cow in the cloning machine and another full grown cow comes out, ready for slaughter. You still have to raise the thing from a baby calf, so what's the difference if that calf is cloned or if Bessie got her freak on with the steer next door? Why not let Bessie have her fun?
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So there are several reasons why "cloning" is more cost effective of some kinds of production for foods:
Let's take your example of a cow. Calves take too long to wean. Unless you want veal, you MUST leave the calf with the mother.
As I understand it, it takes ~200+ days to have a calf or 10-11 months depend on size. Some strains of bovine do not breed as sucessfully as mixed breed.
Most mixed breed do not produce enough milk or quality of meat--i.e. too tough, etc.
Breeding takes too long. Sometime the stud doesn't impregnate the females. Sometimes he doesn't know where to put it. So, do you want to wait for production? Knowing the U.S. population's desire for a good steak or tenderloin?
Well, with molecular genetics the scientists, vets, physicians, big pharma, corporations, just move evolution a little faster than normal time...