Mad Cow in U.S. (1 Viewer)

[Julian Reville]

Quote:
No CEOs here Lew. Just farmers.

Farmers may be partly to blame, but feed mill operators and renderers are the real culprits. They are the ones putting the dead carcasses in the feed and labeling it as cattle feed. Dare say they may be a CEO or two found culpable yet. RENDER THEM , I say, and stuff them in a bag of Cow Chow.

 

[Michael Were]

Carlo said PIECE of mind...ha ha ha ha

that's funny stuff man.

As a person who grew up on a farm (with free range beef cattle), I pretty much avoid beef due to the repugnant manner of cow culture/behavior (stupid filthy animals in my opinion) and after seeing a slaughter house in action.

As far as greed (in the meat/vegetable industry) is concerned, the best way to really avoid its pitfalls is by going to farmers markets (meeting the growers/ranchers) and buying your food directly from the source (and thereby avoiding the entire corporate farming/ranching industry). Most small production farmers/ranchers do their thing because they love what they do and none do it to get rich. Not only do you get a better quality product you also support your local economy. But I guess this isn't practical for all (I've been spoiled moving from the Willamette Valley to Tucson and being able to enjoy year round farmers markets for my entire life).

However, the meat has to be processed somewhere (and I am betting the number of strictly organic/free range slaughter houses is tiny per capita). So again it is possible to still get spinal fluid and possibly the prions (from an infected corporate, cannibal cow) on your cut of beef. So beef lovers might have to switch to emu or some other red meat if they want to protect their PIECE of mind (man, that still makes me giggle).

As an aside to the idea of "free range" beef, a lot of it is grazed on public lands which raises another issue. By allowing grazing on our National Forests/BLM lands we are grossly subsidizing corporate ranchers and paying them to destroy the western states (read Sacred Cows at the Public Trough ISBN: 0892880910 for a well written account of the cost to tax payers and the destruction to riparian areas). Sorry for that rant, but that's one I can never keep in check.

Michael

 

[Brandon_T]

It now appears that the infected cow has only been in the US for two years and was raised in Canada. Part of a heard of 74 that were imported for dairy, and not meat.


BT

 

[Francois Caron]

Latest update from both Canadian and American news Web sites. It seems the cow was not four years old as originally reported in the cow's US papers, but it was in fact six and a half years old according to Canadian papers. The cow originally came from Canada, more specifically the province of Alberta. All this info is from the USDA for now. Canadian government agencies have yet to make any comments on this new information.

Now why is there an age conflict between the Canadian papers and the US papers on the same cow? Both the US and Canada have banned animal based feed in 1997 according to the news reports. The way I see it, the cow's age difference could indicate the US papers were forged in the hope to bring a pre-1997 herd into the United States in direct violation of existing regulations on both sides of the border.

The cow's meat was already sold on the market, but the USDA says the meat is still considered safe because the brain and spinal cord were removed before processing. Still, it's not comforting to know that someone out there broke both countrie's rules just to sell a herd of cattle. Just how many times has this happened over the last few years?

 

[Julian Reville]

Quote:
The cow's meat was already sold on the market, but the USDA says the meat is still considered safe because the brain and spinal cord were removed before processing.

That's what they say, but consider this: all along the spinal cord and brain are nerves that branch out and innervate all of the muscles and organs. These nerves are cut when the animal is slaughtered, and they are right there in the meat. Most of us don't notice them, but they are there and you can see them if you look closely enough.

I don't think enough research has been done to definitely say meat is safe just because the brain and spinal cord was removed.

P.S.: I quit eating mammals several years ago, not because of prions, but because I felt bad about it. My choice, and I don't try to force it on anyone else. I still eat chicken and turkey, but I feel less guilty because they have feathers. Call me stupid.

P.S.S.: I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some prion didn't show up in poultry sooner or later, just because of the amount of animal protein that commercial poultry is fed.

Julian Reville, DVM

 

[Tony Whalen]

Of course, regardless of where the cow came from, it could have been fed bad feed on EITHER side of the border. The authorities are going to have to look into feed records and such in order to get the real story...if that is possible.

Personally, I'm worried for cattle ranchers on BOTH sides of the border...although our Alberta ranchers have already lost a HUGE amount of income due to mad cow.

 

[Gary_E]

In 2000, the U.S.D.A finalized implementation of the H.A.C.C.P. (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) program, throughout the United States wholesale meat industry.
The theory was to be able to trace a product from farm to table, using this program created by NASA to insure the wholesomeness of the food being used in the space shuttle program. This HACCP program was expanded throughout the meat industry and is the mandated requirement of all meat processors in the U.S.

Regulations, documentation and verification have never been more stringent in the U.S. meat industry since the original federal meat inspection program was introduced during the Johnson administration. All three major beef packers, IBP (Iowa Beef Packers), Excel Beef (Cargill Industries) and National Beef, have been under HACCP since the late 1990's.

Most major supermarket chains buy their beef from these packers, even though there is no universal federal inspection program for retailers. Inspections of retail stores fall under the authority of local state governments and local health departments. If you buy your beef from a supermarket, ask them if they buy from the big three beef suppliers. If they do, you can be reasonably assured your purchase is safe.

There are No ...I repeat... NO federal regulations or inspections of Mom and Pop farmers, who sell meat from their home or farm directly to the public. Don’t get all hung up on terms like free-range. Free-Range is a term fabricated by the industry itself. Although some legitimate free-range products are sold, MOST are a scam to get more money for the same non-free range product.

Many of the large U.S. packers opened meat plants in Canada because the money exchange was favorable, labor was cheaper, climate was cooler (less heat related stress on the animals, especially veal) and the food regulations were more lenient.

When the U.S.D.A. halted imports from Canada, prices skyrocketed because domestic growers had backed off their usual herd sizes for years, unable to compete with growers north of the border. When the supply from Canada stopped, the U.S. suffered because the domestic growers had thinned their herds.

My hope is other countries stop buying our beef, then the market prices will stay low and all American consumers could afford any cut of beef. It is not unusual for Japan, for example, to contract massive amounts of flank steaks for export and drive domestic prices so high that Americans would be forced to pay $1.00 - $2.00 per pound more, due to the scarcity of the product.

As with anything else, know what you are buying and ask questions. If you are going to make a purchase and the people you are purchasing from are reluctant to give you any information, buy elsewhere. All meat that is processed under the USDA inspection program must have documentation that the product is INSPECTED BY THE USDA FOR WHOLESOMENESS. The product’s label must state this, if the product is a result of the USDA meat inspection program. Cook your food thoroughly, wash your hands and utensils with soap and water after handling raw product and enjoy safe food.

Regards,
-Gary

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Is Mad Cow Outbreak the Work of al-Quowda?



Regards,

Joe

 

[LewB]

Is Mad Cow Outbreak the Work of al-Quowda?

Hey, that would be a rather simple and easy way for some of the real bad guys to affect the American/Canadian population and economy. Who needs dirty bombs or folks taking over airplanes ?
This brought to you by the Rusty Shackelford that resides deep in all of us.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Quote:
Cook your food thoroughly, wash your hands and utensils with soap and water after handling raw product and enjoy safe food.
Unfortunately, this will have absolutely no effect on vCJD/BSE.

 

[MishaLauenstein]

QUOTE
I wonder if the Aussies do a reasonable substitute in beef?
END QUOTE

Well, I'm told Kosher beef comes from cows that only eat vegetation (logically) so I would go with Australian or Kosher beef.

Now just try getting a flu shot (or cold capsule) without Gelatin in it!

What do all the Hindus/Muslims/Jews/Vegetarians in my city do for shots, I wonder?