ABSTRACT Despite the importance of the skeleton for animal welfare, research into the skeletal biology of farmed species is relatively neglected. This review describes basic concepts relating to current knowledge of the control processes responsible for bone growth and its subsequent remodeling from a physiological, cell biological, and mechanical function perspective.
Implications Interactions among cell types and local and systemic factors controlling bone growth and turnover are complex, but research on the bone biology of farmed species has lagged behind other areas. This has led to an increasing incidence of skeletal problems as the demand for increased weight has outstripped the capacity of the skeleton to support the animal. Because bone often meets the calcium requirements for reproduction (e.g., eggshell formation, fetal mineralization, and milk production), earlier inadequacies can be exacerbated. Although much is known about the skeleton, bone research will continue to play a vital role in agriculture. Indeed, a lack of bone research will result in increasing losses, both in terms of production and the perception that rapid growth of farmed animals compromises their welfare. Bone research is not often considered to be on the cutting edge of scientific investigation. However, it provides an important challenge for scientists from a number of disciplines, including cell and molecular biology, physiology, nutrition, genetics, physics, and engineering.
Key Words: Bone Cells, Hormones, Growth Factors, Biomechanics
© 1999, by the American Society of Animal Science and the American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.
AM Symp. 190-196