Like the factory farmers of yesteryear the genetic engineers are doing their experiments in secret, obsessed with the idea that anything that makes animals more productive and therefore more profitable, is acceptable, with no apparent concern, apparently, for how the animals, or consumer will feel about the new life forms they create. I am particularly disturbed by the trend of the crown research institute Agresearch into genetic engineering and cloning of cows and sheep, producing unnatural animals which are treated like machines, some of this research is classed officially as laboratory work which needs no public input before behind the scenes official approval, and it is continuing without public scrutiny and debate. Examples include work at Ruakura near Hamilton to add human and other genes to dairy cows. According to written details of the research, scientists work on young calves aged six to nine months to induce lactation well before the calves are naturally ready for this. The government scientists also take out and insert various embryos and fetuses, including in very young animals.
Scientists continually operate to obtain skin and other body samples.
Scientists in recent years created deformed mice by taking out whole gene sequences. Some of these mice are barely alive, with loss of liver functions, walking difficulties, no hair, failed immune systems, and failed pregnancies. The scientists have been talking about similar knock out gene sequences in sheep and cattle and are likely to have produced these animals already in secret. An Agresearch report in 1997 about a particular 'knocked out' gene sequence regulating muscle growth said this New Zealand discovery had opened the flood gates for work on sheep to greatly boost the amount of muscle. The green party has had an anonymous message from Ruakura staff saying staff have been sworn to secrecy about GE sheep which have ongoing problems retaining bodily fluids and which the messenger says should not be kept alive.