Lab-grown and plant-based products raise prospect of tectonic shift in profession
By Ross Kelly
* Just as the internal combustion engine put downward pressure on the world’s horse population, the rise of alternative meat — whether plant-based or laboratory-grown — might cause a similar drop in the number of food animals.
* Opinions vary on how quickly alternative meat will become mainstream, if ever. Food industry experts predict it could form a large part of human diets in 30 to 35 years.
* While large animal practitioners could be most vulnerable in an “alt-meat” world, new jobs may arise for veterinarians in the production of cultured meat and quality control.
* A university in Brazil offers its veterinary students a course in animal cellular biology, and plans to let them culture meat in a lab, as it seeks to equip them with new skills.
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