Beef. . . Its What's For Dinner!

[HungLikeJesus]

The meat tree has been around since 2003, but no one seems to be making a big deal about it.

----
Tree That Give Meat Instead Of Fruit!
Friday May 16, 2003



By MICHAEL CHIRON

MANCHESTER, England -- Here's some good news that vegetarians can really sink their teeth into: Researchers have developed genetically engineered fruit trees that bear real meat!

Fruit from the new Meat Trees, developed by British scientists using gene-splicing technology, closely resembles ordinary grapefruit. But when you peel the large fruit open, inside is fresh beef.

"Our trees may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but it's really a simple, down-to-earth idea whose time has come," declares Dr. Vincent Tartley, director of agricultural bioengineering research for the UltraModAgri Group, which created the amazing trees. ...


The rest of the story: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/915075/posts

[Pie]

nope

[jinx]

Well this is interesting...

Effect of Subtherapeutic Administration of Antibiotics on the Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli Bacteria in Feedlot Cattle

Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in 300 feedlot steers receiving subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics was investigated through the collection of 3,300 fecal samples over a 314-day period. Antibiotics were selected based on the commonality of use in the industry and included chlortetracycline plus sulfamethazine (TET-SUL), chlortetracycline (TET), virginiamycin, monensin, tylosin, or no antibiotic supplementation (control). Steers were initially fed a barley silage-based diet, followed by transition to a barley grain-based diet. Despite not being administered antibiotics prior to arrival at the feedlot, the prevalences of steers shedding TET- and ampicillin (AMP)-resistant E. coli were >40 and <30%, respectively. Inclusion of TET-SUL in the diet increased the prevalence of steers shedding TET- and AMP-resistant E. coli and the percentage of TET- and AMP-resistant E. coli in the total generic E. coli population. Irrespective of treatment, the prevalence of steers shedding TET-resistant E. coli was higher in animals fed grain-based compared to silage-based diets. All steers shed TET-resistant E. coli at least once during the experiment. A total of 7,184 isolates were analyzed for MIC of antibiotics. Across antibiotic treatments, 1,009 (13.9%), 7 (0.1%), and 3,413 (47.1%) E. coli isolates were resistant to AMP, gentamicin, or TET, respectively. In addition, 131 (1.8%) and 143 (2.0%) isolates exhibited potential resistance to extended-spectrum β-lactamases, as indicated by either ceftazidime or cefpodoxime resistance. No isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. The findings of the present study indicated that subtherapeutic administration of tetracycline in combination with sulfamethazine increased the prevalence of tetracycline- and AMP-resistant E. coli in cattle. However, resistance to antibiotics may be related to additional environmental factors such as diet.

[xoxoxoBruce]

So they fed a group of 300 cattle, a little bit of antibiotic for over 300 days and a third of them started pooping antibiotic resistant bugs. That's not surprising, I think the same thing is happening to kids of germaphobic mothers.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by TheDaVinciChode

I'm happy for my meat to be cheap... I enjoy eating a well balanced, nutritionally-sound diet, and, more than that - a completely natural diet... The more expensive that meat becomes, the more malnourished we'll become, 'cept the richer amongst us, of course... So, until there's some other means of making meat cheap? I'm all for whatever they do

Apparently the healthiest diet of any Brit in the 20th century was during rationing. Diets were high in vegetables and grains and low in meat and fat. They were probably lower on fruit than would be considered ideal these days (I've heard first hand stories from evacuee relatives about them gorging themselves on stolen fruit until they were sick). No of course I'm not suggesting a return to rationing. But to posit that expensive (or unavailable) meat means malnutrition is way off beam.

Originally Posted by morethanpretty

Although I think it is perfectly fine for meat to be affordable, Americans over-consume meat in major proportions that are not at all healthy for us.

Brits too. It's one of the few bad habits I'm not guilty of. My diet is far from healthy unless I am making a deliberate effort, but my meat consumption has always been low/ occasional. Says the woman eating Lamb Rogan Josh tonight

[jinx]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

So they fed a group of 300 cattle, a little bit of antibiotic for over 300 days and a third of them started pooping antibiotic resistant bugs.

No, that's not what it says.

[xoxoxoBruce]

What do you think it says?

[jinx]

*Steers were initially fed a barley silage-based diet, followed by transition to a barley grain-based diet.

*Despite not being administered antibiotics prior to arrival at the feedlot, the prevalences of steers shedding TET- and ampicillin (AMP)-resistant E. coli were >40 and <30%, respectively.

*Irrespective of treatment, the prevalence of steers shedding TET-resistant E. coli was higher in animals fed grain-based compared to silage-based diets.

*All steers shed TET-resistant E. coli at least once during the experiment. ("All" includes control group ie. no antibiotics)

*The findings of the present study indicated that subtherapeutic administration of tetracycline in combination with sulfamethazine increased the prevalence of tetracycline- and AMP-resistant E. coli in cattle.
However, resistance to antibiotics may be related to additional environmental factors such as diet.

[kerosene]

Okay, so keep in mind that what I am about to say is anecdotal, so if you don't like anecdotes, just ignore it.

I was raised in a beef industry family and they have been for almost 50 years. My father and by brother (now) are both heavily involved in the world of livestock nutrition and I also work in this field. I process all the orders for our company and I know what we sell to feedlots in Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota. Not that I am the end all be all of livestock nutrition knowledge, but that is where my background lies.

When we sell antibiotic (Called Chlortetracycline) it is usually for calves and only if they are sick. It is expensive and not often fed to "fat cattle." The feedlots we sell to don't put it in the feed. It just doesn't make sense. For one thing, it is cost prohibitive. For another thing, there is something called Rumensin and other like products that are not anti-biotics, but are approved by the FDA to use as a cattle production enhancement. These work better than anti-biotics and don't get into the meat. It just don't behoove the ranchers and feedlot owners to produce "anti-biotic laden" beef. Their livelihood depends on healthy cattle.

Most feedlots that we deal with will start a calf on 90% ruffage and 10% grain. That ratio eventually becomes the opposite...10% ruffage to 90% grain. Take from that what you will. In my experience and that of my family, feedlot owners and ranchers don't want their cattle to get "torn up guts" because it costs them more to treat them than it is worth.

Oh, and the "lean" ground beef you buy in the store around here usually comes from Mexico (long and short horn cattle) and/or dairy cows. But that is a whole other topic.

I don't know much about chickens and what they get. I prefer to raise my own.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by jinx

*Steers were initially fed a barley silage-based diet, followed by transition to a barley grain-based diet.

*Despite not being administered antibiotics prior to arrival at the feedlot, the prevalences of steers shedding TET- and ampicillin (AMP)-resistant E. coli were >40 and <30%, respectively.

But chose to ignore...

Antibiotics were selected based on the commonality of use in the industry and included chlortetracycline plus sulfamethazine (TET-SUL), chlortetracycline (TET), virginiamycin, monensin, tylosin, or no antibiotic supplementation

Like I said, they fed them low level drugs.

*Irrespective of treatment, the prevalence of steers shedding TET-resistant E. coli was higher in animals fed grain-based compared to silage-based diets.

So what, it's the wholesale feeding of drugs that causes drug resistant bugs to develop.

*All steers shed TET-resistant E. coli at least once during the experiment. ("All" includes control group ie. no antibiotics)

That's no surprise, ever see cows eat? half of what they eat has been dropped by one or more other animals.

*The findings of the present study indicated that subtherapeutic administration of tetracycline in combination with sulfamethazine increased the prevalence of tetracycline- and AMP-resistant E. coli in cattle.

That's what I said.

However, resistance to antibiotics may be related to additional environmental factors such as diet.

And hell may freeze over. How the fuck can they tell, when they fed all the cattle the same diet. When they were fed the barley-grain they shed more? Well, they had been eating low level drugs for a longer time...duh.

[jinx]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

So what, it's the wholesale feeding of drugs that causes drug resistant bugs to develop.

The why did so many steer who had not been given abx show up to the feedlot already carrying abx-resistant bugs? All the steer developed them at some point after the drugs - the third you mentioned arrived with them.

Well, they had been eating low level drugs for a longer time...duh.

How much longer?

[xoxoxoBruce]

However long they were fed with drugged barley-silage, before the drugged barley-grain.

[TheMercenary]

As a side note, I am slow cooking a Beef Roast on the charcoal grill, we are at hour 3.