Misinformation on the CT home page??

[MO_cows]

There is an aricle featured on the home page which begins,
Livestock producers have fed antibiotics to promote growth to food animals for years.

In the context of CATTLE, isn't this misinformation? Shouldn't it read "Feedlot operators have fed antibiotics...."

Is there anybody here who is a cow/calf producer and feeds antibiotics for growth as opposed to just treating a sick animal with antibiotics? And even in the feedlot, wouldn't a constant stream of incoming antibiotics wreak havoc with the digestion bugs? I had always thought cattle were subjected to a lot less antibiotics compared to pork and poultry?

Macon, I don't want to give you a headache, honest! This is a great site and I am happy for the opportunity to read and post here. Just trying to figure out if some of what I thought I knew is wrong.

 

[john250]

I think you are right, most of the antibiotic use would be in feedlots.
When you co-mingle a lot of calves with unknown history it makes good sense to prevent problems instead of treating problems.
My daughter had ear problems, and was taking amoxycillin (chewy pink pills) almost constantly until she was around 15.
We can discuss which situation might cause bacterial resistance, and I'll start by saying that I'm more concerned about human antibiotic useage.

 

[longtimelurker]

There is an aricle featured on the home page which begins,
Livestock producers have fed antibiotics to promote growth to food animals for years.

In the context of CATTLE, isn't this misinformation? Shouldn't it read "Feedlot operators have fed antibiotics...."

Is there anybody here who is a cow/calf producer and feeds antibiotics for growth as opposed to just treating a sick animal with antibiotics? And even in the feedlot, wouldn't a constant stream of incoming antibiotics wreak havoc with the digestion bugs? I had always thought cattle were subjected to a lot less antibiotics compared to pork and poultry?

Macon, I don't want to give you a headache, honest! This is a great site and I am happy for the opportunity to read and post here. Just trying to figure out if some of what I thought I knew is wrong.

Do feedlot operators produce livestock?

 

[Tod Dague]

Bovatec

 

[Jim62]

Do antibiotics promote growth?

I didn't know that............

 

[TexasBred]

Do antibiotics promote growth?

I didn't know that............

They're probably referring to Bovatec, Rumensin, etc. Technically and very far down the line of study the ionophores (Bovatec and Rumensin) are antibiotics. And yes they promote growth by increasing the digestibility of all the feed stuffs going into the cattle, however, they are NOT growth hormones. Go to your local feedstore and look around. You'll find several feeds containing these ingredients. Great ingredients that actually do work and are worth the increased cost if they are included in the feed at the recommended rates.

 

[novaman]

Do antibiotics promote growth?

I didn't know that............

They're probably referring to Bovatec, Rumensin, etc. Technically and very far down the line of study the ionophores (Bovatec and Rumensin) are antibiotics. And yes they promote growth by increasing the digestibility of all the feed stuffs going into the cattle, however, they are NOT growth hormones. Go to your local feedstore and look around. You'll find several feeds containing these ingredients. Great ingredients that actually do work and are worth the increased cost if they are included in the feed at the recommended rates.

Just wanted to clarify that ionophores don't actually increase the digestibility, they simply allow the cattle to more efficiently digest the feed. I'm sure this is what you meant TB but wanted to make it more clear for anyone who didn't know that.

I find it terrible that anytime the word antibiotic comes up people automatically assume the worst. We as a society are being fed all this garbage that antibiotics are bad, bad, bad when in fact they are a very useful tool that is not often abused as so many are led to believe. If an ionophore is considered an antibiotic it is considered bad. The reality is ionophores are a VERY narrow spectrum antiobiotic that simply kills off less efficient bugs in the rumen, allowing for more efficient bugs to thrive. It is basically like culling the poor doers and building up the herd of better bugs.

 

[alacattleman]

i use to get cattletoday magazine years ago before this site,,,i dont think Macon is responsible for whats on the front page or articals

 

[TexasBred]

Do antibiotics promote growth?

I didn't know that............

They're probably referring to Bovatec, Rumensin, etc. Technically and very far down the line of study the ionophores (Bovatec and Rumensin) are antibiotics. And yes they promote growth by increasing the digestibility of all the feed stuffs going into the cattle, however, they are NOT growth hormones. Go to your local feedstore and look around. You'll find several feeds containing these ingredients. Great ingredients that actually do work and are worth the increased cost if they are included in the feed at the recommended rates.

Just wanted to clarify that ionophores don't actually increase the digestibility, they simply allow the cattle to more efficiently digest the feed. I'm sure this is what you meant TB but wanted to make it more clear for anyone who didn't know that. Better choice of words. Same end result ;-)

I find it terrible that anytime the word antibiotic comes up people automatically assume the worst. We as a society are being fed all this garbage that antibiotics are bad, bad, bad when in fact they are a very useful tool that is not often abused as so many are led to believe. If an ionophore is considered an antibiotic it is considered bad. The reality is ionophores are a VERY narrow spectrum antiobiotic that simply kills off less efficient bugs in the rumen, allowing for more efficient bugs to thrive. It is basically like culling the poor doers and building up the herd of better bugs.

Ain't that the truth. Sort of like when we use to use DDT insecticide. I believe in Africa when they quit using it the life expectancy decreased considerably because they are being eaten by mosquitos. I may be about a half bubble off plumb but can't blame it on DDT.

 

[MO_cows]

TB and Novaman - good info, thanks!!

Maybe antibiotics shouldn't have a negative rap, but the reality is, they do! One "sky is falling" individual with any kind of credentials puts it out there, and *poof*, their misinformation develops a life of its own. The meat buying public doesn't understand the finer details and doesn't want to. But if you stood on any street corner and polled the passers by if feeding antibiotics to meat animals was good or bad, what do you think the survey results would say?? Using the more accurate term ionophore, or even giving it an non-scientific name to describe what it does, such as "digestion enhancement supplement", would make it a lot more acceptable to the public.

 

[TexasBred]

TB and Novaman - good info, thanks!!

Maybe antibiotics shouldn't have a negative rap, but the reality is, they do! One "sky is falling" individual with any kind of credentials puts it out there, and *poof*, their misinformation develops a life of its own. The meat buying public doesn't understand the finer details and doesn't want to. But if you stood on any street corner and polled the passers by if feeding antibiotics to meat animals was good or bad, what do you think the survey results would say?? Using the more accurate term ionophore, or even giving it an non-scientific name to describe what it does, such as "digestion enhancement supplement", would make it a lot more acceptable to the public.

Mo..that's too simple. You always give something a name that's dang near impossible to say and even harder to explain. :lol2: Most people probably think that common antibiotics stay in an animals system forever as well. "Real" antibiotics are often overused especially in the swine and poultry business but feedlot cattle are probably on the lowest end of the scale when it comes to antibiotic usage.