Feeding chickensh*t to cattle

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I received the following e-mail today- I don't claim to be an expert on the science of BSE, but was shocked to see that the USDA was going to continue to allow the feeding of poultry litter (chickensh*t) to cattle- I never even knew the practice occurred until in December when the BSE cow was found in Washington- I couldn't believe it- then the USDA said they were going to ban it because of the chance of BSE infected poultry feed (tankage) getting mixed into the litter and then eaten by cattle. Now USDA will again allow it- probably because all the Tyson owned or contracted chicken farms need to have an economical way to get rid of their waste-- but when do we stop thinking about making a buck and do the right thing.

In my country cattle eat grass and grain-not chickensh*t. I can't believe that any cattle producer or cattle producer group could back the feeding of chickensh*t to cattle. I wonder how many consumers out there know that the steer that produced the rib steak or hamburger they are eating may have been fattened by eating chickensh*t.


R-CALF United Stockgrowers of
America



For Immediate Release Contact: Shae Dodson,
Communications Coordinator

July 9, 2004 Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail:
[email protected]



USDA Delays Safety Measures

to Protect Against BSE



(Billings, Mont.) – Today the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) once again delayed implementation of safety measures that each had promised since January. These measures include banning the use of blood and blood products, and poultry waste from cattle feed – measures that have been scientifically validated as ways to protect against the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle. USDA also delayed its promised measures to protect against cross-contamination in plants that manufacture animal feed.



"We need to strengthen our feed ban to protect against BSE, particularly since two cases of BSE have been detected in the Canadian cattle herd, and we need to do it now," said Leo McDonnell, founder and president of R-CALF USA. "Six months have passed since USDA said it would require safer cattle feed. Today's action may delay these safety measures for
years and directly contradicts what USDA and HHS promised in January."



HHS first issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), which allowed the public to submit comments on these changes, in November 2002. On January 26, 2004, the two agencies promised an interim final rule implementing these safety measures. Mark McClellan,
commissioner of HHS' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the time, said, "Today we are bolstering our BSE firewalls to protect the public."



After waiting since January to take any action on the safety measures the agencies said would be implemented on January 26, HHS and USDA have now decided to wait even longer before doing more to protect against BSE. Today's announcement re-starts the entire process with
another advanced notice of proposed rulemaking.

"Scientific research says we need to strengthen these protections and, frankly, it is just common sense" McDonnell said. "It is a mystery why USDA and HHS still can't take these simple measures six months after promising to do so."

Scientific research has demonstrated cattle feed that contains tissues from infected animals is the most likely way the disease is transmitted to healthy animals. That is why the United States already bans feeding meat and bone meal to cattle.

Cattle also are put at risk if their feed contains blood, blood products and/or poultry litter. In fact, in a news release issued on January 26, HHS plainly stated: "Recent scientific evidence suggests that blood can carry some infectivity for BSE."

Also, the BSE risk assessment conducted by Harvard University and commissioned by USDA revealed the European Commission had already banned the use of blood meal in cattle feed as early as 2001 as an additional measure to prevent the spread of BSE.

McDonnell emphasized the cattle industry had been anticipating these rules since January, rules that could help prevent the spread of BSE in the event the disease is introduced into the United
States.

R-CALF USA members overwhelmingly adopted a policy to ban ruminant blood meal and poultry litter from cattle feed as a means to increase the safety of the U.S. food supply.

McDonnell said that while the United States has never had a case of BSE in its native cattle herd, the U.S. cattle industry needs to continue to set the gold standard for food safety, and this is a simple and necessary step to meet that standard.

"R-CALF USA is extremely disappointed that USDA is again delaying the implementation of strict feed ban rules, and we call upon the agency to take the science-based steps necessary to maintain the safest food supply in the world for U.S. consumers, who trust us to do so without
hesitation," McDonnell concluded.
 
I'm not sure why the USDA would want to take the risk. Do they not see how even one case here has crippled our industry? One would think that they would step up preventative measures in order to minimize the chances of animals contracting the disease...not condone feeding practices that may be unsafe.

Take care.
 
When I was in college Ohio State experminted with the chicken litter. I hated doing chores then. But found the gain not to be worth the risk and deemed it unsafe. :?:
 
Campground Cattle"]Look at the beginers board there are a couple posters wanting to feed animal byproducts.


Its not worth the risk. :) :) :)
 

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