People already have concrete opinions on the use of cloning in mainstream consumer markets for agriculture animals; and it's not highly regarded. UT is taking strides to move science into the future of this field and the general public with it.

Approximately seven years ago, UT animal science professors Lannett Edwards and Neal Schrick began a research project that would lead the country into a revolutionary cloning research. Both professors desired to learn the effect of heat stress on a dairy cow's female sex cell, or egg.

Cloned animals are in our food supply. Look, you eat them, I eat them. We're not dead!-Neal Schrick, professor in animal scienceDuring the process of gaining grants, Edwards and Schrick were challenged to create a clone of a calf, which they succeeded at multiple times.

Edwards and Schrick's efforts in determining the effect of heat stress using clones, opened the doorway for many companies to use cloning to revolutionize the consumer market on beef, dairy, and poultry consumption.

Schrick said that many people have a large problem with using clones because of a lack of knowledge on the subject.

"A clone is nothing more than a twin," said Schrick. "We're not genetically modifying these animals. It's all because of what we call the 'YUCK' factor."

Schrick said that people are put off by cloned animals and most people don't know much about their food supply. In fact, many people don't know that clones of agriculture animals are in our food supply today.

Twins are a natural part of almost any species on Earth. As Schrick pointed out, if clones were simply called twins, there wouldn't be problems, but that is not the case because of the stigma surrounding cloning.

Until the general public learns more about the field of cloning, cloning is going to be contested, said Schrick.

"Cloned animals are in our food supply," said Schrick. "Look, you eat them. I eat them. We're not dead!"

How do you feel about cloning? Post responses below.