Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls • Hacker News Board

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#41

Post by est31 » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 3:54 AM UTC

beambot wrote: post #37

jcampbell1 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About 2/3rds of China’s pork production is not modern. Too many humans involved and they roll out vaccines in 6 months rather than 3 weeks. For now it is just slow and uncoordinated problem solving.

Right. Everything you said about food supply resiliency only applies to modern production in the US. To be fair: that's the topic of the article. But it is inapplicable to 2/3rds of the world's population -- where disease & monoculture are huge threats to global food supply.

That's what trade is for. Trump just sold lots of pork to China. Admittedly not all places are as integrated into the world economy as China though, so not everyone can afford food, but aid programs are usually well funded and effective. Right now, the only places where people are starving are ones where aid programs don't have access e.g. because of war.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#42

Post by CameronNemo » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 3:54 AM UTC

baroffoos wrote: post #25

LennyWhiteJr wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait till you find out that all the world's cash crops are essentially genetic clones of each other. We're literally one superbug away from global famine.

I doubt its that dire. There are a lot of things currently that can destroy crops but they are mostly prevented from spreading by border controls on things like fruit not being able to cross over.

Nobody will obey customs in the event of a famine. Have you been on the dark web?

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#43

Post by pg_is_a_butt » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:01 AM UTC

baroffoos wrote: post #25

LennyWhiteJr wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait till you find out that all the world's cash crops are essentially genetic clones of each other. We're literally one superbug away from global famine.

I doubt its that dire. There are a lot of things currently that can destroy crops but they are mostly prevented from spreading by border controls on things like fruit not being able to cross over.

Tell that to every single chestnut tree doomed to be the last of its kind.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#44

Post by eru » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:23 AM UTC

war1025 wrote: post #18

michannne wrote: post #17

I find it ironic that in an article about how most of this segment of species is a child of 2 bulls, the main scientist is named "Chad"

I don't get it?

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_(slang)

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#45

Post by alexnewman » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:27 AM UTC

I'm starting to hear these types of things so much that I'm becoming skeptical

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#46

Post by slimed » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:36 AM UTC

LennyWhiteJr wrote: post #10

ribrars wrote: post #5

This is real scary. One genetic flaw exploited by say a virus could wipe out the entire dairy industry.

Wait till you find out that all the world's cash crops are essentially genetic clones of each other. We're literally one superbug away from global famine.

Yes, biodiversity in major crops is a serious problem.

Global famine? Give me a break.

That would require the failure of multiple crop species extending across thousands of miles. It's never happened in human history on that scale.

Why would it now? Yes, losing all the Cavendish bananas would be really bad. But why would a superbug that takes out all the bananas have any effect on the corn, wheat, etc growing down the road?

The biodiversity issue is intraspecies not interspecies.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#47

Post by slimed » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:37 AM UTC

CameronNemo wrote: post #42

baroffoos wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt its that dire. There are a lot of things currently that can destroy crops but they are mostly prevented from spreading by border controls on things like fruit not being able to cross over.

Nobody will obey customs in the event of a famine. Have you been on the dark web?

I assume you're joking?

USPS operates through rain, sleet, snow, etc, but not famine.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#48

Post by barry-cotter » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:44 AM UTC

jcampbell1 wrote: post #34

beambot wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So... How do account for the swine problem in Asia? Disease can still have tremendous global impact.

About 2/3rds of China’s pork production is not modern. Too many humans involved and they roll out vaccines in 6 months rather than 3 weeks. For now it is just slow and uncoordinated problem solving.

And terrible enforcement and political incentives due to decades of underinvesting in veterinary and agricultural supervision.

> Why did African swine fever spread so fast in China?

> Systemic problems in China may have accelerated the spread of African swine fever, a dangerous pig virus that has no cure or vaccine. According to an investigative piece by Chinese business portal Caixin last month, divergent interests of central and local officials, money worries and "political tasks" created incentives to hide disease reports. Lacking reliable information, farmers panicked and liquidated herds when they heard rumors of disease in their neighborhood. Big regional price differences due to localized pig liquidations and quarantines created strong incentives to truck pigs and pathogens around the country. Traders flouting bans easily evaded authorities--and were often abetted by corrupt veterinary officials who sold fraudulent health certificates and ear tags.

http://dimsums.blogspot.com/2019/08/why-did-african-swine-fe...

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#49

Post by PlutoMustDie » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:45 AM UTC

jedberg wrote: post #39

This seems like the kind of thing a functioning USDA would come in and help fix. The could subsidize losses of farmers who choose genetically diverse semen and then get cows that underproduce compared to average. It's like the perfect case of encouraging something that isn't profitable for the common good.

Isn't this the end game though, I mean eventually..., this, I guess will be the common good?

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#50

Post by baroffoos » Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 4:46 AM UTC

CameronNemo wrote: post #42

baroffoos wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt its that dire. There are a lot of things currently that can destroy crops but they are mostly prevented from spreading by border controls on things like fruit not being able to cross over.

Nobody will obey customs in the event of a famine. Have you been on the dark web?

There will be no famine as a result of a single type of crop in a local area getting killed. It still takes at least weeks for the virus to spread around to other crops which is plenty of time to become aware of it and stop its spread. There is also nothing preventing imports of healthy foods over the border.

There is also no real incentive to bring bad crops over the border to a safe area.