Protests against sperm-patent 

Non-breeding process in plants and animals are 

likely to be patentable, ask Greenpeace consultant.

Environmentalists have warned of a patent relating to the selection of sperm for breeding animals. Non-breeding process in plants and animals are likely to be patentable, Christoph Then, Greenpeace adviser and Ruth Tippe required by the initiative "No Patents on Life" on Wednesday in Munich.

The European Patent Office (EPO) will decide this Thursday on the complaint of the opposition against a patent, where it comes to selecting sperm for procreation of male and female animals. "In our view, the patent is not granted," said Then.

Of particular interest is the selection of cattle, said Then. Because in male offspring of cows bred for milk production was not worth the mast. Conversely, had bred cattle fattening on low milk yield, so the females would bring less revenue. The selection of works on the weight of the sperm: The sperm with the male Y chromosome are a little easier, those are heavy with X-chromosomes.

o