By Theodora Filis Public health concerns beyond foodborne illness are created when overcrowded animals are susceptible to infection and disease. Industrial livestock facilities treat animals with low levels of antibiotics to prevent illness and promote weight gain. This creates a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The sub-therapeutic dosages used on millions of factory-farmed livestock can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics for human patients. The feed used for livestock can also introduce public health threats. Broiler chickens often receive arsenic-based feed additives to promote pinker flesh and faster growth, and beef cattle continue to be fed with animal byproducts, which increases the risk of mad cow disease. According to the FDA, approximately 80% of all antibiotics used in the United States are administered to farm animals for non-therapeutic purposes. The routine administration of antibiotics has a harmful e...
It is imperative we all pay attention to the impact of our collective and personal actions on the environment. During the next decade, our global community will be unable to deal effectively with the formidable environmental challenges posed by decades of environmental mismanagement. I hope you question and research everything.