Beef. . . Its What's For Dinner!

[Nirvana]

Study shows ground beef from grain-fed cattle healthier than grass-fed
By: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259
Contact(s): Dr. Stephen Smith, 979-845-3935, sbsmith@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – Grass-fed beef may not have as many healthful traits as some perceive, according to results from a recent Texas AgriLife Research study.

Dr. Stephen Smith, an AgriLife Research meat scientist, and a team of researchers have found that contrary to popular perception, ground beef from pasture-fed cattle had no beneficial effects on plasma lipid.

MORE HERE

[TheMercenary]

I just ate a steak...

[jinx]

What about all the antibiotics the cows need because the corn tears up their guts?

[Nirvana]

Originally Posted by jinx

What about all the antibiotics the cows need because the corn tears up their guts?

Propaganda, [hooey]cattle may get antibiotics if they have an injury or if they get pneumonia. I have been in beef for 30 years and never heard of giving antibiotics for indigestion.

[Nirvana]

Most of the time antibiotics are used on dairy cattle for mastitis and that may be in your cheaper ground beef. We rarely use antibiotics on yearlings and never on slaughter ready cattle.

[jinx]

How about the cows at feedlots?

edit: Cattle, sorry, beefs, whatever...

[Nirvana]

You give cattle antibiotics for the same reason a human would need an antibiotic. Only if they have an injury or pneumonia. Even at feed lots they are not given routinely or as a prophylactic. That is PETA and HSUS's propaganda "lets scare the public away from beef."

Pigs are fed in confinement they get antibiotics in their feed. Maybe this is where that idea comes from.

[TheMercenary]

I don't think the Brits give ATB to their pigs. And if you have ever seen a pig farm in the UK it is like the difference between a slop house (US) and a hospital operating room (UK)

[jinx]

USDA says

Approximately 25% of small feedlot cattle operations and 70% of large feedlot operations used
antibiotics in the feed. Similarly, approximately 31% of cattle on small feedlot operations and
57% of cattle on large feedlot operations received antibiotics via feed.

summary on pg 16

[Nirvana]

Cattle on antibiotics must be held from slaughter a certain number of days depending on the antibiotic so it will clear the system. Don't eat kidneys or brains.

Cattle are not given antibiotics to help them consume grain. Antibiotics can be in the feed of just started animals, steers and heifers that are 5-6 months old. They are usually bought from commercial breeders and moved to the feedlot which is the human equivalent of kids being exposed to all kinds of things at school.They do not make it to your table until they are 20-24 months old.. That article is from 2007 things change fast in the food industry. We are not a feedlot operation

[Nirvana]

Not all feedlots use antibiotic feed and again most likely never after the cattle are a year old.

[Clodfobble]

Nirvana... I absolutely believe that your ranch is run with compassion both for the animals and the consumers you are delivering an end product to.

But the fact that you run a clean business doesn't mean that everyone, or even the majority, do. There was a conversation awhile back about "downer" cows, which I remembered well because at the time I'd never even heard of such a thing. You told us that people aren't allowed to eat downer cows, so therefore we don't. Except I've seen video of feedlot owners using a cattle prod to force downer cows to their feet so that they can for an instant qualify as standing, and be slaughtered. It happens. No one is indicting you personally, far from it--but there are majorly corrupt players in your industry.

[HungLikeJesus]

"Indicting" is a very strange word, don't you think?

[Nirvana]

Except I've seen video of feedlot owners using a cattle prod to force downer cows to their feet so that they can for an instant qualify as standing, and be slaughtered. It happens. No one is indicting you personally, far from it--but there are majorly corrupt players in your industry.

This is one instance and it is illegal. What you are talking about is a processor not a feedlot operator. They are two different business and any business can be run by assholes. Those are more likely to be the cows in fast food restaurants not in your grocery store. Most grocers sell choice or select and no way an old or sick cow would ever grade select or choice.

There is always a way to buy beef directly from the producer if you buy a side of beef. Then it goes to a local small processor to be butchered. Saying that video represents the majority of the beef industry is like saying that Saddam Hussein represents the human race.

[Nirvana]

Old and sick cows do not come from feedlots they are not fed in feedlots, they are the cast offs of the dairy industry. They are sold at livestock auctions and bought by companies that sell to pet food manufacturers, or they are bought to make hamburger for the fast food industry. Only steers and heifers that mature at 20-24 months old are fed in feedlots they are sold directly to the processor or they are sold to beef buyers directly or through auction.