Huckleberries Online

Got (Rabbit’s) Milk?

Posted by DFO

Dec. 3, 2009 3:37 p.m. • 12 comments

Dutch farmers are ready to start commercially milking rabbits, pending authorization from European authorities. But that doesn’t mean bunny cheese will soon be on store shelves—the genetically engineered rabbits would be milked to churn out a potentially lifesaving drug. Developed by Netherlands-based biotech firm Pharming, the rabbits have been outfitted with a human gene that produces a protein called C1 inhibitor. A drug made from the protein can be used to treat people with hereditary angioedema. People with this condition have naturally low levels of C1 inhibitor, which can result in episodes of severe swelling, similar to an allergic reaction/James Owens, National Geographic News. More here.

Question: Have you ever milked a cow? Or other kind of animal?

12 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

spokelooneh on December 03 at 3:53 p.m.
The Netherlands is a socialist country with a socialist health care system.

You really expect us to believe these socialists could actually come up with new drug? Impossible.

It is ONLY in the US of A that our God-given health care system provides any innovation or new discoveries or new health care treatments.
JeanieSpokane on December 03 at 4:03 p.m.
How much milk could you possibly get from a rabbit?
mike_s on December 03 at 4:18 p.m.
Though I’ve never milked a cow, I once lived with a Dutch woman that grew up on a dairy.
Fixer on December 03 at 4:39 p.m.
“I developed the world’s first rabbit milking machine.”

There’s no way to say it and sound normal.
factchecker on December 03 at 4:39 p.m.
I have milked a cow, not as easy as it looks. Seems like you would need an awfully small stool to milk a rabbit.
Cindy_H on December 03 at 5:03 p.m.
LOL, factchecker. Love your avatar btw.
Cindy_H on December 03 at 5:04 p.m.
Actually, when I read this story yesterday, I thought that first paragraph could have been written by our own JohnA :-)
poolman on December 03 at 5:14 p.m.
“bunny cheese” - is that another than needs to be checked in the urban dictionary? OK - I’ll spare the suspense. There is “cheese bunny” which is -your worst nightmare or Sarah Palin trying to French kiss you while your hand is caught in a rabbit trap. A little naughty but definitely PG rated.
Cindy_H on December 03 at 6:43 p.m.
Poolman: Do not mess with me. First you ruin Bob Barker and the Price is Right and now yer messing with bunny cheese. Stop!
Cindy_H on December 03 at 6:46 p.m.
Kenny Loggins can still make me swoon.
Just saying.
lew2nl on December 03 at 8:22 p.m.
I should dig out my U of I Ag Department co-ed cow milking contest trophy to show my grandkids to prove that their granny won at least one trophy in her life.
Escapee on December 04 at 2:16 a.m.
Rabbit milk? Not sure if I would jump at the chance to buy it…

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.