COLOMBIA: COLOMBIAN SCIENTISTS DISCOVER GENE IN A NATIVE BREED OF COWS WHICH PROTECTS THE ANIMALS FROM FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

Record ID: 588609

  • Title: COLOMBIA: COLOMBIAN SCIENTISTS DISCOVER GENE IN A NATIVE BREED OF COWS WHICH PROTECTS THE ANIMALS FROM FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
  • Date: 5th April 2001
  • Summary: CUNDINAMARCA, COLOMBIA (APRIL 5, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF COLOMBIAN COWS BELIEVED TO BE RESISTANT TO (HOOF) FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (3 SHOTS) 0.23 2. VARIOUS OF MAN GUIDING COW 0.37 3. VARIOUS OF COWS PASTURING (3 SHOTS) 0.52 BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (APRIL 6, 2001) (REUTERS TV - ACCESS ALL) 4. PAN/SV: EXTERIOR OF THE COLOMBIAN CORPORATION OF LIVESTOCK INVESTIGATION (CORPOICA) (2 SHOTS) 1.02 5. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish)MOLECULAR GENETICIST, FERNANDO ARIZA, SAYING: "In the last few years we have found certain evidence (showing) that the 'White black-eared' breed presents a certain degree of resistance to the hoof-and-mouth type "O" virus. Now, there are certain studies that must be conducted. These would be comparative studies between native species and species which at this moment are being used in commercial cattle farming. I'm speaking about the Zebu type, or the milk-giving Hostein or the Brown Swiss." 1.45 6. VARIOUS OF RESEARCHER WORKING IN LABORATORY (5 SHOTS) 2.15 7. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARIZA, SAYING: "These breeds have adapted to the adverse conditions of the tropics. We are speaking about conditions of a high-degree of parasites. External parasites, as ticks and internal parasites... for this reason we can also find a certain type of resistance to certain degrees of adverse conditions which could posed by altitudes, as well as tropical conditions." 2.51 8. VARIOUS OF RESEARCHER WALKING/WORKING (4 SHOTS) 3.16 9. VARIOUS OF RESEARCHER WORKING AND VIEWING THROUGH MICROSCOPE (2 SHOTS) 3.26 10. CLOSE VIEW OF MICROSCOPIC DISH 3.29 11. PAN: EXTERIOR OF CARPOICA RESEARCH CENTRE 3.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th April 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CUNDINAMARCA AND BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Reuters ID: LVA4MFU73NSOOVX57VBP7W6Y943W
  • Story Text: Colombian scientists said on Friday they have
    discovered a gene in a native breed of cows which protects the
    animals against foot-and-mouth -- the highly-contagious
    disease that has ravaged Britain's herds.



    Researchers at the state-owned Colombian Corporation of
    Agricultural Investigation, (CORPOICA) said on Friday (April
    6), that the gene found had proved resistant against three of
    the seven types of foot-and-mouth virus.

    "We have identified some genes resistant to
    foot-and-mouth in the native breed Blanco Orejinegro",
    Fernando Ariza, a Molecular Geneticist with Corpoica.

    Still, local cattle associations said the chances of
    exporting the Blanco Orejinegro breed to Europe were slim
    because there were only 10,000 head in Colombia. The nation
    has Latin America's fifth-largest herd with 22 million head of
    cattle.

    Explaining that further studies needed to be conducted,
    Ariza said the resistance may be explained by the possible
    adaptation of the breed to an environment where they were
    exposed to internal and external parasites, as well as to the
    adverse conditions presented by the tropics.

    "These breeds have adapted to the adverse conditions of
    the tropics. We are speaking about conditions of a high-degree
    of parasites. External parasites, as ticks and internal
    parasites," Ariza said.

    An outbreak this year of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe,
    particularly in Britain, has pushed farmers to the brink of
    ruin and sparked fears of contagion across the globe.

    Colombia detected its first two foot-and-mouth outbreaks
    this year but they occurred far from the country's main cattle
    region, which is on the Atlantic coast.

    Colombia has temporarily suspended import permits for
    beef, pork, goat and sheep meat from Britain, France and
    Argentina in a move against foot-and-mouth disease.

    Foot-and-mouth disease causes high fevers and blisters in
    cloven-footed animals like beef, pigs and sheep and is often
    fatal. It only rarely infects humans.


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