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Physiology

Nobel Prize history from the year you were born – Kenosha News

Since 1901, Nobel Prizes have honored the worlds best and brightest and showcased the work of brilliant and creative minds, thanks to Swedish businessman Alfred Nobel, who made his fortune with the invention of dynamite.

The Prize in Physiology or Medicine often honors those whose discoveries led to medical breakthroughs, new drug treatments, or a better understanding of the human body that benefit us all.

The Prize in Literature celebrates those skilled in telling stories, creating poetry, and translating the human experience into words. The Prizes in Chemistry and Physics remind most of us how little we understand of genetics, atomic structures, or the universe around us, celebrating the scientists who further knowledge. A later addition to the award roster, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences is not an original Prize, but was established by the Central Bank of Sweden in 1968 as a memorial to Alfred Nobel. It applauds those who can unravel the mysteries of markets, trade, and money.

The Peace Prize celebrates, in Nobels words, the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses, sometimes risking their lives to do so.

So precious are the awards that the medals of German physicists Max von Laue and James Franck, stored away for safekeeping in Copenhagen during World War II, were dissolved in acid to keep them away from approaching Nazi troops. After the war, the gold was reconstituted from the acid and recast into new medals.

But Nobel history has not been entirely noble. In 1939, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, known for his policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany, was nominated for the Peace Prize. In an act of irony and protest, members of the Swedish Parliament nominated Adolf Hitler. That nomination was withdrawn. Some recipients have ordered oppressive crackdowns on their own people or ignored genocides, either before or after receiving the Prize. The 1918 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was given to Germanys Fritz Haber, who invented a method of producing ammonia on a large scale, which was helpful in making fertilizer. But the same chemist helped develop the chlorine gas that was used as a chemical weapon in World War I.

Stacker looked at facts and events related to the Nobel Prizes each year from 1931 to 2020, drawing from the Nobel Committees recollections and announcements, news stories, and historical accounts.

Take a look, and see what was happening with the Nobel Prizes the year you were born.

You may also like: 100 years of military history

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Nobel Prize history from the year you were born - Kenosha News

Physiology

Is The Secret to Saving Migratory Birds in the Meal Prep? – Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

The Bird House team at the Smithsonians National Zoo has many beaks to feed, including 23 species of migratory songbirds and shorebirds. But what happens when they are hungry to migrate and theres nowhere to go? Curator Sara Hallager and nutritionist Erin Kendrick share some of the valuable lessons they have learned from taking these marvelous migrators under their wing.

Come fall and spring, migratory songbirds and shorebirds are programmed to do two things: fly and eat. In preparing for the long journey ahead, these birds exhibit a normal behavior called migratory restlessness. During this period, they dont sleep much at night. They eat more. They put on a lot of weight. They expend all that energy (and those extra calories) as they embark on their marvelous migrations.

But what happens when those birds cannot travel, say, because they are housed in a Zoo? Do they gorge themselves, even though they have nowhere to go? How do keepers and Zoo nutritionists help individual animals stay physically fit and healthy, even as their physiology changes naturally with the seasons?

The answer lies in the meal prep.

Before we get into the ins-and-outs of our birds diets, lets look at how they eat in the wild.

ABOVE: Mealworms are on the menu for the Zoos American avocets. To help them acclimate to sharing a space with their caretakers, keeper Lori Smith crouches a short distance away. She tosses the tasty snacks onto a placemat, and the avocets gobble them up.

Songbirds know its time to migrate in the fall, when their food staples (like bugs and berries) decrease. In the spring, they get the urge to migrate back to their breeding grounds for one reasoninsectswhich provide essential protein to newly hatched chicks. There arent enough insects in the tropics to feed both year-round residents and visitors, so migratory species return home in the spring. There, they find an abundance of food resources for themselves and their chicksuntil the cycle begins again.

Like songbirds, shorebirds follow their prey: aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans, mollusks and very small fish. Most insects are only on the menu during the Northern Hemisphere summers. To find food the rest of the year, shorebirds need to fly south.

Stopover points, including the Delaware Bay on the Eastern Shore, are critical to shorebirds journeys. They fill up on fattening foods, such as nutrient-rich horseshoe crab eggs. Food is fuel. Without enough of it, a bird may leave the stopover point late and miss the opportunity to mate. They may find a mate, but lack the energy to breed. Or, they may die during the grueling journey.

Migratory birds in human care do not have to worry about finding food like their wild counterparts do. However, our experience has shown us that these birds can gain (or lose) weight very quickly with the seasons, even if their diets remain the same. They appear to be hard-wired to do this.

ABOVE: Over the summer,we celebrated the arrival of three wood thrush chickstwo females and one maleJune 9, 10 and 12. This was incredibly exciting for several reasons, not the least of which is that mom hatched at the Zoo last year.

Knowing that their weight fluctuates depending on the season, we use what we know about each species food preferences, weight and physiology to make daily tweaks and seasonal adjustments to their diets. A species-appropriate, nutritionally balanced diet will support a migratory bird over its lifetime, through breeding, raising chicks, growth and eventually geriatric care. As such, we aim to keep them within the weight ranges that their wild counterparts exhibit.

During breeding season, songbirds drive for insect consumption increases greatly. So, we increase the amount of insects we feed them, and decrease our plant-based offerings. Heading into winter, we do the opposite. Because there are naturally fewer insects, we feedand the birds consumemore plant parts.

Shorebirds seem to have hearty appetites year-round. They receive pellets formulated for insectivorous animals as well as chopped shrimp, krill, mealworms crickets, clam meat, mussels and the occasional crab. It has been remarkable how well they have taken to their Zoo diets. Some birds even consumed pellets immediately upon arrival!

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Is The Secret to Saving Migratory Birds in the Meal Prep? - Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Physiology

Kinesiology Doctoral Students Win NEACSM Awards at 2020 Annual Meeting – UMass News and Media Relations

Kinesiology doctoral students Robert Marcotte and Joseph Gordon III received scholarship awards during the annual New England Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (NEACSM) Fall Conference held virtually Oct. 15 and 16.

Marcotte received the Linda S. Pescatello 2020 Doctoral Scholarship, and Gordon received the Lawrence E. Armstrong Minority Scholarship. Both scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, professional experience, professional activities such as attending conferences and workshops, publication of peer-reviewed research, and skill in obtaining grants.

I continue to be impressed by and very proud of our graduate students, both individually and collectively, says professor and chair of kinesiology Jane Kent. Both Jay and Rob are emerging scholars in their areas of research. They are also providing important leadership outside the lab, as well. I wish them the best of luck as they pursue their dissertation studies.

Marcotte is a member of associate professor John Sirards Physical Activity and Health Lab. For his dissertation, Marcotte is developing a scalable and convenient method to estimate the relative intensity of physical activities using wearable activity trackers (i.e., accelerometers) and evaluate its validity under naturalistic, free-living settings.

It's an honor to be recognized for the efforts I have been putting into my academics and research thus far, says Marcotte. My achievements are a result of the support and encouragement of my advisor, Dr. John Sirard, and my lab mates. We strive to produce quality work and motivate one another to continue moving forward on our projects, and for that I am grateful!

Gordon specializes in muscle physiology under the supervision of Kent. His work in Kents Muscle Physiology Lab investigates the effects of aging, sex-differences, fat deposition and training on muscle function. His dissertation research will examine the effects of fat deposition on the biochemical environment, muscle architecture, and functional performance of a variety of populations using magnetic resonance (MR) techniques.

Under normal circumstances I would feel happy to be selected for any merit-based award, says Gordon. That being said, this year I also feel particularly proud to earn this award with the social climate of our country being as polarized as it has been in its history. My goal is to perennially shed light on the disproportionate underrepresentation of all people of color within research, academia, and STEM. I hope this acknowledgement is one way to increase awareness about inherently disadvantaged populations, and others can feel encouraged to provide resources for these groups.

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Kinesiology Doctoral Students Win NEACSM Awards at 2020 Annual Meeting - UMass News and Media Relations

Physiology

Explained: From dolphins and whales, new insights on Covid-19 – The Indian Express

By: Express News Service | New Delhi | Updated: December 5, 2020 8:06:51 amRain, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. (University of California - Santa Cruz)

When infected by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, people experience a drop in oxygen levels in their blood. This makes them vulnerable to damage in a large range of tissues. Compare this with marine mammals such as dolphins and whales, which spend their lifetime switching between environments of high and low oxygen levels, but tolerate both because their bodies have adapted that way.

In a review article published in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology on Thursday, ecologist and evolutionary biologist Terrie Williams of the University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz explores how the diving physiology of marine mammals can help us understand the effects of Covid-19. Williams has spent decades studying the physiology of marine mammals and their extraordinary ability to perform strenuous activities while holding their breath for long periods under water. Texas A&M University marine biologist Randall Davis has co-authored the paper with her.

Marine mammals have ways to protect themselves and allow their organs to keep functioning while holding their breath for hours at a time. But to be able do that, they have had to undergo a whole suite of biological adaptations.

The fact that humans lack these adaptations makes it important for people to protect themselves from infection with this virus. Damage to oxygen-deprived tissues happens fast and can be irreversible, which may account for the long-term effects we are beginning to see in people after coronavirus infections, Williams said in a statement on her research. Follow Express Explained on Telegram

The heart and brain are especially sensitive to oxygen deprivation, and marine mammals have multiple mechanisms to protect these and other critical organs

Marine mammals have a capacity for carrying much more oxygen than humans.

Some marine mammals contract their spleen during dives, which releases oxygen-rich blood cells into the circulation.

To avoid blood clots resulting from such high concentrations of red blood cells, many marine mammal species lack a clotting mechanism found in other mammals.

Marine mammals have greatly increased concentrations of oxygen-carrying proteins such as myoglobin in heart and skeletal muscles, and neuroglobin and cytoglobin in the brain.

Numerous safety factors enable tissues in marine mammals to withstand low oxygen and the subsequent reperfusion of tissues with oxygenated blood. In humans, reperfusion after a heart attack or stroke often leads to additional tissue damage.

According to Williams, the solutions that marine mammals have evolved provide a natural template for understanding the potential for damage to oxygen-deprived tissues in humans.

There are so many ramifications of shutting down the oxygen pathway, and I think thats what were seeing in these Covid patients, she said.

Our heart and brain cells are meant to last a lifetime, and we cannot replace them once they are damaged, she added. Dolphins and whales have natural protections that humans lack, so we are highly vulnerable to hypoxia.

The research was funded by the Office of Naval Research.

Source: University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz

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Explained: From dolphins and whales, new insights on Covid-19 - The Indian Express

Genetics

Teach Me in 10 Why COVID-19 Genetics Research May Be Biased With Dr Thomas Stoeger – Technology Networks

When applying genetics to the study of COVID-19, scientists are learning a lot. Our DNA codes for proteins, some of which are required for SARS-CoV-2 to interact with and infect a host cell, others that are implicated in the downstream effects of viral infection, such as inflammatory responses. But how do scientists choose which genes to study?A new study by Dr Thomas Stoeger, a postdoc at North Western University, suggests there is a historical bias involved; scientists are studying human genes that have already been heavily investigated, independent of COVID-19.

In this installment of Teach Me in 10, Stoeger expands on the key points of this study and the implications of bias in scientific research.

Full research publication: Meta-Research: COVID-19 research risks ignoring important host genes due to pre-established research patterns.

For more Teach Me in 10 videos, check out our hub page.

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Teach Me in 10 Why COVID-19 Genetics Research May Be Biased With Dr Thomas Stoeger - Technology Networks

Genetics

Rare genetic differences play vital role in blood pressure – British Heart Foundation

New genetic differences have been discovered to play a vital role in regulating blood pressure, according to research part funded by us and published in Nature Genetics.

Researchers based at the University of Cambridge and round the world studied the genetic make-up of 1.3 million people with diverse ancestries. They found 106 new regions of DNA and 87 new rare genetic variations associated with blood pressure.

The rare genetic variants had an eight times greater effect on blood pressure compared to more common variants. Thirty-two of the rare variants were located within newly identified sections of DNA linked to blood pressure, and 55 were located within genes already known to be associated with its regulation.

The importance of the work is illustrated by the finding that six of the genes identified in this study, four of which contain rare variants, are already drug targets for heart and circulatory conditions. This suggests that the other genes identified may also be good targets for developing new drugs.

The researchers therefore hope that these findings will lead to new ways to prevent and treat high blood pressure.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, our Medical Director, said:

This major study has revealed new underlying genetic factors which add to the blueprint of what dictates our blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases. These new discoveries should shed light on potential new ways to prevent and treat high blood pressure and ensure its in a healthy range, ultimately to reduce deadly heart attacks and strokes.

Read more about high blood pressure

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Rare genetic differences play vital role in blood pressure - British Heart Foundation

Genetics

Researchers Sequence Genome of Tomato’s Wild Ancestor | Genetics – Sci-News.com

Scientists at Boyce Thompson Institute have produced a high-quality chromosome-scale genome sequence for the currant tomato Solanum pimpinellifolium, the wild progenitor of the modern cultivated tomato Solanum lycopersicum.

Solanum pimpinellifolium in Botanisk tidsskrift, 1872.

Tomato is the worlds leading vegetable crop with a total production of 182 million tons and a worth over US $60 billion in 2018.

Solanum pimpinellifolium carrying red, small, and round fruits is the wild progenitor of the cultivated tomato.

It was domesticated in South America to give rise to Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme, which was later improved into the big-fruited tomato Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum in Mesoamerica.

Although other groups had previously sequenced Solanum pimpinellifolium, the new reference genome is more complete and accurate, thanks in part to cutting-edge sequencing technologies that are able to read very long pieces of DNA, said co-lead author Dr. Zhangjun Fei, a researcher at Boyce Thompson Institute and Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health at the U.S. Department of Agricultures Agricultural Research Service.

Older sequencing technologies that read short pieces of DNA can identify mutations at the single-base level, said co-lead author Dr. Shan Wu, a postdoctoral scientist at Boyce Thompson Institute.

But they arent good at finding structural variants, like insertions, deletions, inversions or duplications of large chunks of DNA.

Many known traits of the tomato are caused by structural variants, so that is why we focused on them, Dr. Fei said.

Structural variants also are understudied because they are more difficult to identify.

The scientists compared their reference genome of Solanum pimpinellifolium to that of the cultivated tomato, called Heinz 1706, and found more than 92,000 structural genetic variants.

They then combed the tomato pan-genome, a database with the genomes of more than 725 cultivated and closely related wild tomatoes, and discovered structural variants related to many important traits.

For example, the modern cultivated tomato has some genomic deletions that reduce their levels of lycopene, a red pigment with nutritional value, and an insertion that reduces their sucrose content.

Identification of the additional genetic diversity captured in the Solanum pimpinellifolium genome provides breeders with opportunities to bring some of these important features back to store-bought tomatoes, said co-author Dr. Jim Giovannoni, a researcher at Boyce Thompson Institute and Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health at the U.S. Department of Agricultures Agricultural Research Service.

The authors found many other structural variants that could be of interest to plant breeders, including variants in numerous disease-resistance genes and in genes involved in fruit size, ripening, hormonal regulation, metabolism, and the development of flowers, seeds and leaves.

They also found structural variants associated with regulating the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of lipids in fruit skin, which could help improve the fruits post-harvest performance.

So much genetic diversity was lost during tomato domestication, Dr. Fei said.

These data could help bring some of that diversity back and result in tomatoes that taste better, are more nutritious and more resilient.

The results appear in the journal Nature Communications.

_____

X. Wang et al. 2020. Genome of Solanum pimpinellifolium provides insights into structural variants during tomato breeding. Nat Commun 11, 5817; doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19682-0

This article is based on a press-release provided by Boyce Thompson Institute.

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Researchers Sequence Genome of Tomato's Wild Ancestor | Genetics - Sci-News.com

Genetics

Insights on Human Genetics Market 2020 to 2027: COVID-19 Impact Analysis, Drivers, Opportunity Analysis, Restraints, and Forecast – The Courier

A new report added by Research Dive offers insights and puts forth the impact of COVID-19 catastrophe on the global human genetics market. According to the report, the human genetics market is estimated to grow at a significant rate and generate robust revenue share by 2027 during the forecast period from 2020 to 2027.

The report provides brief summary and an in-depth information of the market by collecting data from industry experts and different sources prevalent in the market. The statistics presented in the report are extensive, reliable, and the outcome of an exhaustive analytical research. The report offers qualitative and quantitative trend analysis for the period of 2020-2027 to assist stakeholders to understand the overall market scenario. Comprehensive analysis of the key segments validates the types of products used in the industry and their applications.

MARKET SEGMENTATION

On the basis of type, the global human genetics market is segmented into:

Product Type Segmentation Prenatal Genetics Cytogenetics Molecular Genetics & Symptom Genetics

For More Detail Insights, Download Sample Copy of the Report at: https://www.researchdive.com/request-toc-and-sample/2137

On the basis of application, the global human genetics market is segmented into:

Cytogenetics Molecular Genetics Prenatal Genetics Symptom Genetics Research Center Industry Segmentation Forensic Laboratories Hospital

On the basis of region, the global human genetics market is segmented into:

North America U.S. Canada Mexico

Europe Germany UK France Spain Italy Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific Japan China India Australia South Korea Rest of Asia-Pacific

LAMEA Brazil Argentina Saudi Arabia South Africa UAE Rest of LAMEA

Connect with Our Analyst to Contextualize Our Insights for Your Business: https://www.researchdive.com/connect-to-analyst/2137

KEY COMPANIES COVERED

The research report summarizes and outlines several aspects of the key players operating in the global human genetics market such as company snapshot, business performance, product portfolio, recent developments & strategies, SWOT analysis, and many more. The key players listed are:

LGC Forensics Agilent Technologies QIAGEN N.V. Bode Technology Illumina Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Promega Corporation Orchid Cellmark Inc. NextOmics GE Healthcare Takara Bio Inc. Oxford Nanopore Pacific Biosciences

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

The key players of the market are adopting several strategies to obtain a leading position in the global industry. For instance, in August 2020, Ancestry launched AncestryHealth, a product that features next-generation sequencing with an ability to screen the genes associated with blood disorders, breast cancer, colon cancer, and heart disease.

Contact Us:

Mr. Abhishek PaliwalResearch Dive30 Wall St. 8th Floor, New YorkNY 10005 (P)+ 91 (788) 802-9103 (India)+1 (917) 444-1262 (US) TollFree : +1 -888-961-4454Email:support@researchdive.comLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/research-diveTwitter:https://twitter.com/ResearchDiveFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/Research-DiveBlog:https://www.researchdive.com/blogFollow us on:https://covid-19-market-insights.blogspot.com

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Insights on Human Genetics Market 2020 to 2027: COVID-19 Impact Analysis, Drivers, Opportunity Analysis, Restraints, and Forecast - The Courier

Genetics

Genetic Technologies Secures US and ANZ Distribution Rights for PREDICTIX – BioSpace

MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Molecular diagnostics company Genetic Technologies Ltd (ASX: GTG; NASDAQ: GENE, the Company), announced today that they have entered into a three-year partnership agreement with mental health company, Taliaz, for the distribution rights of their PREDICTIX products in Australia, New Zealand and the USA (Agreement).

Key Highlights

The Agreement will support GTG to expand its product offering and establish the mental health vertical by harnessing PREDICTIX, Taliazs pioneering decision-support and management platform to optimize patient treatment for mental health disorders. Starting in the field of depression, this genomic-based, Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven antidepressant selection technology, marks GTGs first foray into pharmacogenomics1.

George Muchnicki, GTGs Interim CEO stated: We are incredibly pleased to have partnered with Taliaz to bring their predictive and personalized mental health product to Australia and New Zealand. GTG are at the forefront of providing personalized and predictive products to empower patients to make informed decisions about their health. This distribution agreement is our first external product partnership and our first product within the mental health vertical. Mental health has remained at the forefront of media discussions and government initiatives within Australia, New Zealand and globally due to the ongoing social and economic impact and given the impact from the current global pandemic. We look forward to working closely with the Taliaz team to deliver their product into these markets at this critical time.

The execution of the Agreement is reliant on product regulatory clearance by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA. Once cleared, GTG has committed to providing a minimum distribution of 8,000 tests over the initial three-year term with an associated minimum cost to GTG of $200,000 over the term, inclusive of licencing fees and a percentage based fee per test paid to Taliaz. Subject to the regulatory clearance process, GTG anticipates that PREDICTIX will be made available for sale and distribution in Australia and New Zealand in Q3 FY21 on GTGs existing Consumer Initiated Testing (CIT) platform, with end-customer pricing to be determined but anticipated to be in line with existing GTG product pricing.

PREDICTIX, developed by the private Israeli company, Taliaz, addresses the growing burden on society from depression, with 1 in 10 Americans2 and 1 in 8 Australians3 prescribed antidepressants per year. PREDICTIX enables a more accurate and rapid treatment plan for patients suffering from depression, reducingtreatment costs and the overall associated economic burden.

PREDICTIX is an algorithmic-based decision support tool that can improve todays antidepressant prescribing accuracy by 47%4. Combining DNA testing with AI, PREDICTIX empowers doctors to improve the assessment, treatment, and management of mental health disorders.

The PREDICTIX technology uses AI to analyse multiple data streams, including patients genomic, clinical history and demographic background, providing doctors with a personalized patient report. The report ranks the statistical efficacy and potential side effects of various antidepressant medication based on each patients genetic makeup andhealth record. This helps doctors optimize prescribing decisions for patients diagnosed with depressive disorder, where there is currently a long and painful trial and error period. PREDICTIX is CE-registered and commercially available in the UK, France and Israel, with the process underway for TGA approval.

Dekel Taliaz, CEO and Co-founder of Taliaz said, We are excited to partner with Genetic Technologies, world-leaders in the genetic risk assessment space. This new partnership will support rapid commercialization of PREDICTIX to help more depression sufferers in Australia, New Zealand and the USA, while adding a complementary and advanced mental health solution to GTGs growing suite of DNA tests.

The Agreement strengthens GTGs mission in creating a suite of tests to enable a holistic and predictive health assessment for patients, which can be adjusted to address the individual patient risks and needs. Establishing the first product within the mental health and pharmacogenetic space continues GTGs progress towards being able to offer a highly comprehensive suite of polygenic risk assessment tests via GTGs CIT platform and additional sales and marketing avenues as these are progressed.

This announcement was approved by the Board of Directors of Genetic Technologies Limited.

About Genetic Technologies Limited

Genetic Technologies Limited (ASX: GTG; Nasdaq: GENE) is a diversified molecular diagnostics company. GTG offers cancer predictive testing and assessment tools to help physicians proactively manage patient health. The Companys lead products GeneType for Breast Cancer for non-hereditary breast cancer and GeneType for Colorectal Cancer are clinically validated risk assessment tests and are first in class. Genetic Technologies is developing a pipeline of risk assessment products.

For more information, please visit http://www.gtglabs.com

About Taliaz

Taliaz is revolutionizing the treatment and management of mental health disorders with PREDICTIX. PREDICTIX is a CE-registered product that provides an advanced decision support software for psychiatrists and general practitioners. Harnessing artificial intelligence, PREDICTIX can enable easy, effective and rapid patient assessment, improved prescribing precision and management for a wide range of mental health conditions. Starting in the field of depression, the PREDICTIX Genetics and PREDICTIX Digital products can improve todays prescribing accuracy by up to 47%4.

For more information, please visit predictix.ai.

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Genetic Technologies Secures US and ANZ Distribution Rights for PREDICTIX - BioSpace

Genetics

Cranky camels make difficult dairy cows part two but technology and genetics are making some headway – Brooks Bulletin

Most camels and their cousins, alpacas and llamas, have a reputation for being somewhat irritable and belligerent; thats backed up with occasional bouts of spitting, biting and cantankerous behaviour. They have been domesticated for a few thousand years, but they still seem to have a lofty sense of dignity despite humans trying to break their spirit. The noble camel has endured being a beast of burden and even a racing animal. But becoming a dairy animal is a work in progress as patient folks who handle them have found out since they were first tamed. Humans have milked or tried to milk camels for thousands of years; the milk is particularly nutritious and a protein source in many middle east and African societies to this day. The fact that massive camel dairy operations have sprung up would indicate that camel milk is still popular within the middle easts urbanized community and has a growing interest in other parts of the world. Camel dairy operations have started up in the USA and Australia to supply new markets, but they are modest in size. The biggest hurdle is trying to turn the camel into an efficient dairy animal with ever-increasing regular milk production assisted by mechanical handling. Thats a description of the typical bovine dairy animal of today.From a dairy perspective, the camel cow is genetically 200 years behind the average bovine dairy cow. The camel is nowhere near as docile, cooperative, nor as remotely productive as a modern dairy cow. Thats the result of longtime intensive selection as none of the other milked species started out as happy, productive dairy animals. However, modern Western-style camel dairy operations are making progress through a genetic selection process, camel training and unique camel milking and handling equipment. Some of the large middle east camel dairy operations employ highly skilled professionals that guide production increases.Interestingly, a small tribal group in Northern Kenya who are highly dependent on camel milk has, through selection, created a higher milk yielding strain of camel, so it can be done. The one fast-track system to a better milking camel cow is through mass selection. In the middle east and Australia, they have access to literally hundreds of thousands of local camel cows, both wild and captive. That enables them through a process of elimination to find the one cow in a hundred that might make a good docile camel dairy cow for a commercial dairy operation. However, selection would seem to be the easy part; its the milking part where it gets more complicated. Unlike other milking species like goats, sheep and bovines, the camel does not easily let down its milk; it needs significant stimulation and then only produces at intervals. In traditional settings, the presence of a camel cows calf provides the stimulation, and a person then hand milks the cow. Considering the camels cranky nature, that alone would seem to be a dangerous and haphazard process, never mind the food safety and sanitation concerns. Clearly, that wont work in a commercial dairy operation where thousands of camels have to be milked twice a day. Hence the big sophisticated operators in the middle east have developed protocols and equipment that eliminates most calf stimulation. Still, they must be using some sort of method to keep milk production up on a regular and consistent basis. All of that would seem to be transferable to a potentially large operation in Alberta, but a reliable source of camels would be needed. The other part is the huge capital investment, one of the largest middle east dairies started with an investment of $20 million and now has over 500 employees. Granted, this large operator controls camel milk from production to processing to worldwide marketing. It must be profitable as these large operations continue to expand in the middle east. A substantial commercial camel dairy operation in North America would have some advantages. Firstly, there is seemingly a large local market to absorb camel milk. Secondly is camel feed. The big outfits in the middle east import large quantities of costly alfalfa hay and other feedstuffs from Australia and North America to provide consistent quality feed to produce a steady supply of milk. Mammals, in general, produce surplus milk only through excess fat and protein consumption. But feed and markets arent enough of an advantage its finding enough of those darned cranky camel cows to milk. More next time. Will Verboven is an ag opinion writer and ag policy advisor.

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Cranky camels make difficult dairy cows part two but technology and genetics are making some headway - Brooks Bulletin