Do you think beef are injected with hormones, antibiotics and other things? how do you back up your answer?!


Question: Do you think beef are injected with hormones, antibiotics and other things!? how do you back up your answer!?
Answers:
1!. Beef contains significant quantities of the most toxic organic chemical known - dioxin!. This chemical is toxic in the trillionths of grams!. (A trillionth of a gram, called a picogram, is one million millionth of a gram!. A gram is about 1/30th of an ounce!.) Dioxin has been linked to cancer, endometriosis, Attention Deficit Disorder (hyperactivity in children), reproductive systems defects in children, chronic fatigue syndrome, immune system deficiency, and rare nerve and blood disorders!. A single hamburger (a little less than 1/4 lb, or 100 grams) contains up to 100 picograms of dioxin!. That is 300 times as much as the EPA says is "acceptable" for a daily dose for an adult! There are some scientists who say that there is no acceptable dose; they say that any dose can cause toxic effects, because dioxin is a hormone disrupting chemical which changes the functioning of our cells, against which we have no defense!. The dioxin comes from microscopic particles of ash from incinerators that have settled on grass and crops eaten by the beef cattle, pigs, and chickens!. All farm animals are affected - even herds grown on "all-natural" feed!. See dioxin!.

2!. The huge amount of beef that we consume, in combination with the usual side-orders of other fatty foods (such as french fries) and caffeine and refined sugars (cola beverages) appears to be one of the major causes of obesity in the U!.S!. and Europe!. Beef is "dumped" into our schools by the beef industry and the USDA - beef producers are paid by the government for "surplus" beef (the vast amount they cannot sell) which is subsequently "donated" to school lunch programs, helping our children to get hooked on this unhealthy food!.

3!. Beef production is the major cause of the destruction of the world's rainforests!. The high price of beef encourages ranchers to burn the forest to create new rangelands!. The fragile, thin rainforest soil cover is quickly destroyed by grazing in 1-2 years, and the ranchers move on to burn another area, in a never-ending cycle of destruction!. Thousands of species of plants and animals have already been destroyed forever, as well as straining the earth's ability to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen!. At current rates, the rainforests will be totally destroyed in 30-50 years!.

4!. Beef production is the major cause of "desertification" around the world - the rapid degradation of marginal, low-rainfall soil areas into desert!. The constant pounding of the hoofs of cattle disturbs and eventually destroys the delicate root systems which keep the topsoil layer intact!. Erosion by winds or storms removes the topsoil, leaving the sand or clay subsoil layer behind!.

5!. Beef production is a serious social justice issue!. Beef cattle and their grazing land take up nearly a quarter of the land mass of the earth, to supply beef to the U!.S!., Europe, and Japan!. About one third of the world's grain harvest is used for feed for cattle instead of food for people!. In the U!.S!., that figure is over 70 percent!. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce a single pound of beef!. This, in a world where nearly a billion people lack enough food, is unjust!. Beef production for the developed parts of the world is severely limiting the amount of food available for people in the poor and developing world!.

6!. Beef can harbor a deadly new germ, called e!. coli O157:H7!. This new germ is now a major cause of serious food poisoning!. Beef and dairy cattle can carry the germ with no apparent adverse health effects!. The germ, found in cattle feces, has contaminated beef and produce grown with cow manure!. So far it has killed dozens of people and sickened thousands!. In August, 1997, 25 million pounds of beef were recalled, the largest food recall in the world's history, because of O157:H7 contamination of beef destined to Burger King restaurants!. The precautions against the germ - including cooking to 160o F (71o C) - reveals a disgusting side of beef production - there is no way to prevent fecal contamination during slaughter!. See O157:H7!.

7!. The consumption of beef and fast food "restaurants" that promote it have created a new, super-exploitative work environment!. High school students and people in poverty have learned an old social order - the sweatshop!. The frenetic pace of a McDonalds or Burger King at lunch or dinner time is easily a match for the non-unionized factories and garment shops of the '20s in the U!.S!. (or most developing countries today)!. But this is the modern U!.S!. sweatshop, where we are all members of a "team" working for the common good - minimum wages and windfall profits!.

8!. Beef consumption has created a self-perpetuating and rapidly-expanding distortion of local economies all over the world!. As more McDonalds "restaurants" are established and beef consumption rises, more arable land is consumed for grazing and cattle feed!. In developing countries, the local economy changes from one based on local food markets and trade to one based on beef exports, enriching a few wealthy landowners and merchants and impoverishing the rest!.

9!. The "fast-food" industry giants that promote beef - McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy's - have created and encouraged an artificial, plastic, uniform, standard "restaurant" environment that, because of their powerful advertising media, discourages diversity and local and ethnic culture in restaurants and in food choices!. Beef - served as hamburgers - has been the driving force for this shift in how we view food and eating in the U!. S!.

10!. The beef "fast-food" industry, notably McDonalds and Burger King, especially targets children in its marketing!. As a result, millions of children (and in many cases, their parents) associate eating at those "restaurants" as a fun, positive, healthful eating experience!. Obesity and other afflictions associated with excess animal fat intake and sedentary lifestyle are now affecting young adults and children in increasing numbers!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Hormones for Weight Gain
Most commercially raised beef calves start around 80 pounds and gain up to 1,200 pounds in a period of about 14 months!. This is not a natural event!. This is accomplished by feeding them large quantities of grain (usually corn) and protein supplements, in addition to various drugs and synthetic hormones, as the beef industry puts it, to “promote efficient growth!.”

Various combinations of hormones, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, and the synthetic hormones, zeranol and trenbolone acetate, may be given to cattle during their growing cycle!. Another hormone, melengesterol acetate, may also be added to cattle feed to “improve weight gain and feed efficiency!.”

When humans eat this drug and hormone-tainted beef, measurable amounts of hormones are transferred to humans!. Some researchers warn that human consumption of estrogen from hormone-drugged beef can result in cancer, premature puberty and falling sperm counts!.

Antibiotics
The largest use of antibiotics (over 50% of all antibiotic use) in the U!. S!. is for animals!. The antibiotics are used to help the cattle gain weight but also to prevent disease outbreaks since disease is more prevalent in animals that are raised in such crowded conditions!. About 9 million pounds of antibiotic feed additives are used annually in the cattleraising process!.

Routine antibiotic use is contributing to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in humans!. In contrast to animals raised on large, commercial “factory farms,” animals raised in natural farm environments rarely require antibiotics!. In addition to antibiotics, commercially raised cattle are given various vaccines and other drugs!. The following is an example of a recommended course of care for a whole herd of cattle as shown on Pfizer!.com:

CattleMaster 4+VL5: a 4-way viral plus 5-way leptospirosis vaccine and vibriosis protection
UltraChoice 8: a vaccine to prevent clostridial disease
Dectomax Pour-On or Dectomax Injectable: drugs to prevent and treat internal and external parasites
ScourGuard 3?(K)/C: a vaccine to prevent calf scours
Residues of these drugs and antibiotics can end up in the beef, thus exposing the consumer to a mirage of chemical and drug residues!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Yes, of course they are!. If they weren't, why would the standard for "organic beef" preclude the use of hormones and antibiotics!?

The USDA requires that organic beef must:
* Be born and raised on certified organic pasture
* Never receive antibiotics
* Never receive growth-promoting hormones
* Be fed only certified organic grains and grasses
* Have unrestricted outdoor access
* Receive humane treatment

And, if is wasn't common practice, why would small beef producers, such as Ketchum Farms, proudly state that they use "no growth hormones, no steroids, no herbicides, no antibiotics!."
http://ketchumfarms!.com/

http://www!.fda!.gov/cvm/hormones!.htm
http://www!.fda!.gov/fdac/features/795_ant!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

it depends if it was from an organic farm then no but if it was from a regular farm there's a high chance that it wasWww@FoodAQ@Com

Yes, and so are you!.

I don't understand why hormones and antibiotics are considered so evil by so many of you v/v when used in animal production, but they are wonders of the modern world if you need penicillin for a throat infection or you want to avoid kids for a while (birth control pills)!. And on top of that, so many of you claim you wish for animals to be treated better!. Well, should the dairyman let his herd be sick all the time or should he administer drugs to his cows when they catch something!? Which is the inhumane practice!?

I live in the worlds largest ag economy (CA) and the AM radio station I listen to most of the day is heavy on the agriculture demographic!. There is currently an ad that runs several times a day for a bovine antibiotic!. A girl cow is being "hit on" by a boy cow and in the process of telling him to get lost, she starts to cough!. The boy cow says, "Hey, that could be a case of Bovine Respiratory Infection!. You should talk to you herdman about !.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!. treatment!." (Forgot drug name!. Sorry) Point is, when the funny part of the comercial is over, the "legal guy" voice comes on and says!.!.!.!.!.I'll quote as best I can:

"XXX drug approved for use only in cows 20 months of age or younger under the direct supervision of a veterinarian because of the possibility of transfer of XXX drug to the milk supply!. Do not use XXX drug in any cow that may be pregnant or may be coming into milk!."

Point is, science can detect anything in nearly any substance these days!. Drugs are drugs, be they for cow or person, and when used correctly, they make our lives here on Earth infinitely better!. Anyone want to go back to the dark ages with plague, cholera, small pox, etc!? Me either!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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