This essay is an original work by Sievert 81. Please comment only on the talk page.
The bovine spongiform encephalopathy epidemic in the UK was a horrible tragedy of coverups, cows, and cash. If you believe in 75,000 cases, it is still killing today. But what if there was a way to ensure it never happened again? What if that way was discovered in 2006? Well, there is. Using genetic modifications, you can completely remove all prion proteins from cows. Studies show the GMO cows are completely immune to BSE.
PRNP-KO cows pass down their genes to their calves. This means just 1 generation of GMO cows is required to create endless generations of PRNP-KO cows. It's not just about the immunity to BSE. PRNP-KO cows means that specific risk materials could be used in human and animal products without risk of TSE contamination. The same applies to mechanically recovered meat, which could be used to create cheap food for the less fortunate. MRM was the catalyst in the UK BSE outbreak, but without prion proteins, there is zero risk of contamination.
There are no downsides to PRNP-KO cows aside from the initial cost of the genetic modification. More people would buy beef if there was no risk of vCJD. In addition, the companies would make more money selling SRMs and MRM. Meat and bone meal could be used to lower costs and increase beef production. MBM has been shown to be better than soy bean protein at increasing cows beef content.
In conclusion, it would be profitable for companies to use PRNP-KO cows. It would increase beef safety by removing all chance of catching vCJD from it, allow for SRMs, MBM, and MRM to be used, increasing profits, decrease the amount of cows that need to be killed, and cost very little in comparison to the benefits.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2813193/figure/F1/ For a picture of the PRNP-KO cows
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2813193/
https://www.cureffi.org/2013/03/20/can-humans-live-without-prp/