I don’t know where to begin on expressing my thoughts about the article I just read. An animal scientist, here in the United State, is conducting stem cell research in an effort to make the supply of bull semen inexhaustible.

The basic idea is to serialize young, healthy bulls and transplant them with spermatogonial stem cells from a bull with exceptional traits. The article specifically noted the fertility trait. I don’t think single-trait selection is a good idea. Stepping past that though, what about sterilizing young bulls then transplanting different stem cells in them? What are the chances that the body will reject these raw materials from another animal? What if you go to the time and expense and the recipient animal goes lame?

My questions about this research are many more than I’m going to type out but a few more include: Would a producer, seed stock or commercial, want the same genetics for the entire duration of their business? If the bull is exceptional enough to consider this practice, wouldn’t he be exceptional enough to consistently pass on his traits to his offspring? And then they carry it on?

We are a very small operation in the central United States. Even if the resources were available to me, I wouldn’t partake in transplanting spermatogonial stem cells. The idea of using an “everlasting” semen supply from the same bull, “even after his death”, doesn’t seem very interesting or productive to me. I’d rather walk among our cattle, track their productivity on paper, pick what I like and keep moving forward. Single trait selection, as I mentioned earlier, doesn’t seem like a good idea. Obviously fertility is important, however a balance of several good traits makes for a better animal. I’d rather strive for bulls that have as many promising traits as possible – fertility, growth, health, conformation, disposition and masculinity.

The article concluded that there is “the potential to create genetically modified livestock for agricultural and human biomedical applications”. Hmmm. Again, I don’t know where to begin on expressing my thoughts. I’ll just end with one last question: Are cattlemen even asking for this?