Animal Biotechnology

Neal First

Neal First is L.E. Casida Professor of Reproductive Biology and Animal Technology at UW-Madison, associated with the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the School of Medicine.

First has been on the UW-Madison faculty in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences since 1960.

In 1987, First proved that cattle could be cloned when "Fusion" and "Copy," the first cloned cattle in the world, were born on the Madison campus. Genetic carbon copies, the calves illustrated the potential of harnessing the tools of modern biology to produce custom-built herds of superior livestock.

The most pervasive commercial application of First's work is in-vitro fertilization technology, work that has had significant impacts for humans as well as cattle. The techniques pioneered in First's lab are now common procedures in human in-vitro fertilization clinics and in companies that specialize in such techniques for cattle.

Applied to cattle, the techniques developed at UW-Madison allow the recovery of eggs from high-quality cows. The eggs are then fertilized and implanted in surrogate mother cows.

Neal First teaches graduate and postdoctoral students in reproductive physiology and animal biotechnology as well as undergraduate students in Horse Science Management. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and The National Advisory Board on Ethics in Reproduction.

Summany: Neal First's presentation will be an overview and update of the status of animal biotechnology.

From The University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension

Sponsored by a grant from USDA
CSREES
IFAFS