Milking Rabbits May Treat Genetic Disease

[Steve]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/01/20/...enetic-disease/

Rabbits could be milked on a mass scale if a pioneering medical treatment gets the go-ahead.

The animals have been genetically engineered to produce C1 inhibitor, a protein that occurs naturally in the human body, according to National Geographic. People who suffer from the genetic disorder hereditary angioedema (HAE) do not produce enough of the protein and suffer from attacks of painful swelling in their soft tissues.

They can even die from asphyxiation if the swelling affects their throat.

Although the protein can be harvested from donor blood, stocks are limited and can carry the risk of a viral infection, according to biotech company Pharming, which is behind the project. Rhucin, its treatment derived from the rabbit milk, has undergone trials and is now awaiting approval from European drug regulators.

If the drug is approved, the Netherlands-based company is said to be ready to milk a herd of 1,000 rabbits using mini-pumping machines attached to their teats. Researchers would then extract the protein in a lab.

Pharming says one benefit Rhucin offers is that it "does not carry the risk of transmission of human infectious agents, as it is not isolated from human blood sources."

But the RSPCA said it was concerned over "this use of animals to produce human medicines."

Dr Nikki Osbourne, the animal welfare charity's research animals scientific officer, said: "Our major welfare concerns in this particular case are that the creation of genetically altered animals can cause pain, suffering and distress to all animals involved."

"The techniques involved are inherently inefficient, with large numbers of animals used to create just a few animals with the desired genetic alteration." She added that "the RSPCA is concerned at the use of animals as 'bioreactors' as part of the pharmaceutical production process."

"The use of animals in this way increases the perception of animals as 'units of production' for human benefit, rather than sentient individuals."

[centitout]

So whats next- no more cow,goat milk because "they are only seen as units of production" ??

I do not agree with animal testing on things like makeups,or vivisection ,but if a genetically engineered rabbit can help save someone by a simple process of milking(which is not cruel),i cant see the problem-its not like the animal is being killed,or living in horrendous pain and conditions.

[kyliegirl]

i would say the rabbits being milked would receive the same treatment as premarin mares or lab rabbits where they are contained in a small space for easy extraction. I'm not sure what you are expecting them to do centitout but the rabbits being used for milking wouldn't be getting a paddock to roam.

[centitout]

most of the meat you eat is from feed lot beef,they dont roam around in nice grassy paddocks either,neither do the pigs where your bacon,porks and salamis come from.Most pet rabbits/guinea pigs are kept in small hutches,is that really any different?

In fact ,these rabbits would be very expensive to keep,breed and would be quite valuable,so i would imagine that all efforts would be taken to look after them well(with or without grass)

[sandgrubber]

Better to have concern shown at the outset, when it's easy to set forth guidelines for what is 'humane' than to allow the drug companies to define things and then end out with a big mess where animal libbers are attacking laboratories with a good deal of public support and resulting in a widescale break down.

I'm not fond of rabbits, and have no problem with them being milked. But if an additional 20% spent by the drug companies will end out with the milked rabbits leading happy lives, great. I don't think it will greatly affect the price of any drugs made from rabbit milk. The marketing and development costs for such products vastly outweigh the costs of production, so an increase in production costs is not big deal . . . and it will allow the drug company to advertise that they take good care of their bunnies so everyone wins.

Edited January 22, 2010 by sandgrubber

[casowner]

Is anyone else envisioning Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents with his cat milking demonstration

[Guest Tess32]

most of the meat you eat is from feed lot beef,they dont roam around in nice grassy paddocks either,neither do the pigs where your bacon,porks and salamis come from.Most pet rabbits/guinea pigs are kept in small hutches,is that really any different?

In fact ,these rabbits would be very expensive to keep,breed and would be quite valuable,so i would imagine that all efforts would be taken to look after them well(with or without grass)

I'm pretty sure that most pet rabbits will not be in the same situation as these ones. There's a reason people TRY and choose to eat free range meat, after all.

The only 'efforts' that will be taken is to ensure they are fed and kept alive and physically healthy. These kinds of places will care very little for their psychological well being. They are not 'dumb' animals who will be happy placed in a cage with nothing to do. Would you advocate dogs being kept in a crate 24/7?

Just because some pet owners are ignorant and keep some rabbits in tiny hutches and never let them out, doesn't make it a good idea.

[Sue]

Are you sure this is not an early April Fool's joke? How much milk would realistically be havested from a herd of rabbits aznd just how would you attach milking cups and keep them on? Sorry but I just can't see this happening in reality.

[sandgrubber]

Check out the National Geographic article in the link.

Apparently the Russians are already milking GE mice to make drugs . . .

Also great trivia . . . .

A rabbit, for instance, can produce an average of 120 milliliters of milk a day. In the modified rabbits, each liter contains 12 grams of human C1 inhibitor, according to Pharming spokesperson Marjolein van Helmond.

[grabit]

There is acctually a domestic breed of rabbit that has been bred specifically for meat and milk for human consumption it is known as the Giza white and originated in Egypt in the early ninteen-thirties. Rabbit Milk is highly concentrated and rabbits carry few diseases that are able to be transfered to people ...I would suspect that this may be a reason for the choice in using rabbits.

[asal]

nnnnn u only have to milk em once a day. dairy farmers would love em

well i found the babies trived even on just one feed a day when i used to breed the show rabbits

[MsBex]

I'm against exploitation of any kind, regardless of benefits.

Where do you draw the line when it comes to medical experimentation for the benefit of the masses?

[Souff]

There is acctually a domestic breed of rabbit that has been bred specifically for meat and milk for human consumption it is known as the Giza white and originated in Egypt in the early ninteen-thirties. Rabbit Milk is highly concentrated and rabbits carry few diseases that are able to be transfered to people ...I would suspect that this may be a reason for the choice in using rabbits.

And they breed like rabbits.

For those who are worried about sentient animals being used as units of production, including the AR officer from the RSPCA if you are reading this, I would expect you to refuse to receive anti-venene treatment when you have been bitten by a deadly poisonous spider ..... after all, the anti-venene is MILKED from spiders to make the anti-venene that will save your life.

If not, then take your high and mighty double standards and put em where the sun dont shine.

Souff

[centitout]

Tetanus anti toxins are also produced from horses,are they not ,so no more shots for people that cut themselves.No more ant venene for snake bit dogs,cats or humans either.

[sandgrubber]

I'm against exploitation of any kind, regardless of benefits.

Where do you draw the line when it comes to medical experimentation for the benefit of the masses?

Radical animal libbers think ALL domestication is exploitation. But going toward center from the extreme, killing domestic animals to eat them . . . or feed them to your dog . . . is a form of exploitation no? Milking a rabbit doesn't kill the animal, and if things are set up well, will result in the animal living a long, healthy life . . . certainly a better life than the average battery hen.

[OSoSwift]

Tetanus anti toxins are also produced from horses,are they not ,so no more shots for people that cut themselves.No more ant venene for snake bit dogs,cats or humans either.

Antivenom is also produced via horses. A very small amount of toxin is injected, then blood collected and the Antivenom made out of that, using the bodies defense from the small amount of toxin. This is why antivenoms of any sort, spider, snake etc have to be used with utmost caution in those humans allergic to horses.

I think as long as the animals are treated well and allowed to perform normal typical animal behaviours then I do not see a problem with it.

[Alyosha]

Would this end up with a concern like the horses used for collecting oestrogen urine?

The babies being routinely slaughtered at birth, and the adult females being kept in a constant state of pregancy or lactation?

I'm sure many people would be up in arms if these were dogs being caged and produced from in such a manner. No one here will defend puppy farmers who do so.

After all, isn't there large movements to move on from outdated and cruel intesive animal use like battery farming, intensive pig farming etc? But this new form is ok?

[tarope]

I wonder if the RSPCA thinks milking Funnel web spiders is cruel.

Anyway the RSPCA is very good at milking themselves, as we all know.

[OSoSwift]

Would this end up with a concern like the horses used for collecting oestrogen urine?

The babies being routinely slaughtered at birth, and the adult females being kept in a constant state of pregancy or lactation?

I'm sure many people would be up in arms if these were dogs being caged and produced from in such a manner. No one here will defend puppy farmers who do so.

After all, isn't there large movements to move on from outdated and cruel intesive animal use like battery farming, intensive pig farming etc? But this new form is ok?

I would only be okay with it if the animals could live in a situation where they could exhibit normal rabbit behaviours, ie eating grass, have some room to run around in and dig in dirt.

I would not agree at all if babies were routinely killed just to keep mum in lactation.

Having said that it very well could be abused as other forms have been as you mentioned.

IF they were humanly treated I have no problems, but I guess it most likely wouldn't happen.

[sandgrubber]

Would this end up with a concern like the horses used for collecting oestrogen urine?

The babies being routinely slaughtered at birth, and the adult females being kept in a constant state of pregancy or lactation?

I'm sure many people would be up in arms if these were dogs being caged and produced from in such a manner. No one here will defend puppy farmers who do so.

After all, isn't there large movements to move on from outdated and cruel intesive animal use like battery farming, intensive pig farming etc? But this new form is ok?

I would only be okay with it if the animals could live in a situation where they could exhibit normal rabbit behaviours, ie eating grass, have some room to run around in and dig in dirt.

I would not agree at all if babies were routinely killed just to keep mum in lactation.

Having said that it very well could be abused as other forms have been as you mentioned.

IF they were humanly treated I have no problems, but I guess it most likely wouldn't happen.

Much as some people love to bag the RSPCA, I think their involvement here is good. May well be a great drug production outcome. Who cares if the final product costs 2% more because they give the bunnies a big enclosure and allow them to act like rabbits rather than caged factory animals? Someone needs to keep watch on these things. I don't have the time. Glad someone is doing so.

Animal cruelty and animal welfare are charged subjects in a time when values are changing. Anyone taking it on is going to get jumped for two or more directions.