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Showing posts with the label Mad Cow Disease

Should There Be Warning Labels On Packaged Meats?

By Theodora Filis Mad Cow Disease first surfaces in Britain in 1986. The bizarre illness swept through cattle herds, and then, researchers say, started killing people who ate infected meat. Europe imposes strict laws to stop the spread of the disease. But in the winter of 2001 Mad Cow disease appears in Spain and Germany. With 1 case reported in Canada.  Mad Cow is not yet found in the United States.  But experts warn that America is risking too much by not taking all the necessary precautions. In 2006 Mad Cow Disease causes a panic in the US. The USDA was quick to assure the American people that BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) did not pose a threat to them. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association says the American government is doing all the right things and in its view American beef is the "safest in the world." What they failed to expose was that the deadly disease had been circulating in the U.S. for over a decade. Most frightening of all… ...

Factory-Farming Puts Human Health At Great Risk

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...