COW GENOME COULD TRANSFORM WORLD FOOD PRODUCTION

One Hereford cow could transform world food production

The genome of a female Hereford cow has been sequenced, which could be a starting point for major improvements in the agricultural industry.

Analysing this blueprint of DNA code for the chemical building blocks of the animal is revealing the unique role that many of the genes play.

The information is likely to have a major impact on livestock breeding.

The study, published in the journal Science, was a six-year effort by more than 300 scientists in 25 countries.

Cattle now join an elite group of animals to have had their genome sequenced - a group that includes humans, other primates and rodents.

Read more