Hype about Anti Biotic Free Beef

[OldCrow]

I read alot of craigslist and other advertisements about antibiotic free beef, do people buy into this hype?

To me it just doesn't make a hill of beans about slaughter beef recieving meds when needed or normal vaccinations. Humans recieve the same treatment throughout life. :? I can understand the theory of steroid free and grass fed and it makes sense, I just can't understand the whole antibiotic free thing.

Maybe I'm missing something and if I am can someone fil me in on it.

Thanks,
OldCrow

 

[Alan]

My feeling is,it is a little truth and a little hype and I'll group "steroid free" in there too. With both so many animals raised and used for retail sales are pumped full of anti-biotics and steroids that folks who buy and consume beef, poultry, pork, eggs, milk, butter, etc from super markets are getting more anti-biotics and steroids then they ever realized. It is possible, because of the amount of anti-biotics consumed for a person to build up a resistance to a certain type of anti-biotic making fighting a illness harder. The hype part is using it as a big selling point, all my freezer beef is steroid free. Ilik it when my freezer beef is anti-biotic free ....... but if I give a steer in need a round on Pen or LA200 it certainly don't keep him out of my freezer. I think most who advertise anti-biotic free hope the animal to be raised anti-biotic free, but if the animal get a shot they just simply don't advertise them as anti-biotic free.

I have a much bigger problem with folks advertising "organic beef" when they don't have a clue what it means to produce a true organic product. Grass fed is not neccassily organic.

Hope that last statement doesn't hijack your question.

 

[TexasBred]

I read alot of craigslist and other advertisements about antibiotic free beef, do people buy into this hype?

To me it just doesn't make a hill of beans about slaughter beef recieving meds when needed or normal vaccinations. Humans recieve the same treatment throughout life. :? I can understand the theory of steroid free and grass fed and it makes sense, I just can't understand the whole antibiotic free thing.

Maybe I'm missing something and if I am can someone fil me in on it.

Thanks,
OldCrow

People use the claim to hype their own product. Most feedlots do use ionophores in the feed which technically IS an antibiotic but not what we think of when we think antibiotics such as penicillin etc. And many will use the implants. Doesn't bother me either. :roll:

 

[AllForage]

It's Craigslist, come on now. Instead of worrying about someone else's marketing sharpen yours.

 

[whitecow]

Maybe its just semantics but there is no such thing as steroid-free beef.

 

[Alan]

Maybe its just semantics but there is no such thing as steroid-free beef.

Please explain no such thing as steroid free beef. If I raise my own born on the farm beef, were would he get steroids if I don't provide them?

 

[dun]

Maybe its just semantics but there is no such thing as steroid-free beef.

Please explain no such thing as steroid free beef. If I raise my own born on the farm beef, were would he get steroids if I don't provide them?

Probably referring to naturally occuring hormones

 

[TexasBred]

Maybe its just semantics but there is no such thing as steroid-free beef.

Perhaps "Non Steroid injected" or "Non steroid fed" beef would sound better to you.

 

[whitecow]

Maybe its just semantics but there is no such thing as steroid-free beef.

Perhaps "Non Steroid injected" or "Non steroid fed" beef would sound better to you.

My apologies. I didn't mean to offend anyone.

TexasBred, I think a statement like your suggestions is more accurate. I describe the beef that I sell as having no added hormones or antibiotics.

 

[AllForage]

Maybe its just semantics but there is no such thing as steroid-free beef.

Perhaps "Non Steroid injected" or "Non steroid fed" beef would sound better to you.

My apologies. I didn't mean to offend anyone.

TexasBred, I think a statement like your suggestions is more accurate. I describe the beef that I sell as having no added hormones or antibiotics.

Then I guess oldcrow has a beef with you

 

[whitecow]

[/quote]
Then I guess oldcrow has a beef with you[/quote]

To OldCrow's point, I think the media in general has created a lot of hype about added hormones and antibiotics. Personally, as a molecular biologist I do not believe there is an issue with using grow promoting hormones or antibiotics as long as long as it is done according to FDA approved methods (ie, withdrawal times). I believe the American beef supply is quite safe. I use the statement in describing my beef because it is true. I do not use growth promotants because I am not trying to milk every last pound of performance out of my animals. There is a segment of consumers that prefer to purchase beef from animals that have not received the stuff, my animals haven't so I tell them that.

However, I do have a complete herd health plan including vaccinations and I do treat animals that are sick. If treated with antibiotics, their beef will not be sold with the same claims.

At the end of the day, I am a bit of a hypocrite. But I don't lose any sleep over it.

 

[whitecow]

Not very scientific, but here is a little visual that I saw on Facebook this morning.

http://www.nefb.org/articles/96982/8-20-13-farm-bureau-minute---hormone-levels-in-beef

 

[OldCrow]

Then I guess oldcrow has a beef with you

AllForage,

Nice pun, but I'm not trying to critize marketing schemes and I'm not one to hold a grudge, just trying to understand if there is truth to it. I'm using the knowledge and what common sense I have to come to a conclusion for myself and just asking if I missed something.

OldCrow

 

[OldCrow]

Not very scientific, but here is a little visual that I saw on Facebook this morning.

http://www.nefb.org/articles/96982/8-20-13-farm-bureau-minute---hormone-levels-in-beef

Nice visual and link about hormones naturally occuring. Wonder what levels would be found in meat chickens, but that's another topic. Although I think a lot of things would need to be studied to validate some things like how long does it take for the body to excrete the hormones or is it stored for a certain amount of time in tissue? Is hormones naturally produced the same as synthetic as far as the body sees it? It seems we have strayed away from the original question but that's ok.

To get back on topic, does anyone know of a study describing cattle who have been injected with antibiotics and the effects it could have on humans?

Thanks,
OldCrow

 

[TexasBred]

To get back on topic, does anyone know of a study describing cattle who have been injected with antibiotics and the effects it could have on humans?

Thanks,
OldCrow

No further study needed. Many antibiotics have "NO" withdrawal period so you can figure those were probably used. The same for inophores. Apparently FDA has already decided they pose no threat to humans.

 

[Alan]

You have never heard of a build up of resistance to anti-biotics?

 

[sim.-ang.king]

You have never heard of a build up of resistance to anti-biotics?

Is there any? or just hype?

"But is that the real answer or just the most convenient? He says researchers went into a cave that hadn't seen any human activity for 4 million years, collected bacterial samples and cultured them. "We see plenty of resistance to the same antibiotics we're using today. So resistance isn't new. Resistance has always been there.""
http://beefmagazine.com/health/overcomi ... tough-task

There are millions of different bactria, or viruses, that get paired up and pretty much do the same thing as the others in that group, and cause the same effects on the host, but one strain may be resistant to pen. molds, and the next resistant to fluoroquinolone strains.

Speaking of Baytril, you know there is a strain of bactria in humans that is resistant to Baytril, but a strain in in the same family isn't in cattle?
Strange......

 

[Alan]

Very intelligent answer sim-ang :tiphat: Yes there has always been a build up to anti-biotics. When penicillin was developed it was the wonder drug because there was little or no resistance to it. But now, lets say, my mother has a reacurring bladder infection (I know TMI) she has been on amoxicillin pills, 500mgs for two years. The infection keeps coming back so her doctor keeps bumping the dosage, it works for a while but the infection keeps coming back. That's a building up a of resistance to anti-biotics. The doctor switches the type of anti-biotic and in a short time the infection is gone. That's why when we are given a prescription for anti-biotics it's for basically a two week period and come back in to look check things.

So "in therory" the more anti-biotics your system gets, through beef or many other food sources, it weakens your resistance to anti-biotics. While I believe there is truth to it, it is also used as a sales point.

Alan

Again, nice comment, well thought out.

Alan

 

[Alan]

I just read my last post sim-ang, I certainly did not mean to come across with anything other than a compliment. I realize my words my not come across that way. I thought it was a good comment, rather than one posted by some folks that have their heals dug in and claim it's that way because so and so said so. Please don't take offense, it was a very well thought out post.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Did not take any offense, and it was a very well thought out response you had.
Still lots of answers needed on the subject, and like most things people want one quick answer, or one thing to point the blame. But of course there isn't, yet.