OBAMAS ANIMAL HEALTH CARE REFORM NEXT

[BRYANT]

I just read where the nuts in the whitehouse think our livestock has to much Antibiotics in them and it is making some sicknesses that doctors can't control with Antibiotics .So look out "THE NEW WORLD LEADER" Mr.obama and the Dems. will fix it for us!!! :clap: :clap: This was an AP story I saw on netscapes home page but I ain't smart enough to know how to post the link maybe someone will. Who knows maybe Mr.obama will get some kind of free program to help me work this here computer after he gets us "Animal health care reform "

 

[MoGal]

Codex Allamantarius (sp?) takes effect on 12/31/09........... I'm really not sure how that will affect, but I have read in the past that it will bring some chemicals back that were previously banned.

 

[Brandonm22]

Yes there definitely appears to be momentum to outlaw antibiotic use in food animals.

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2009/12/2 ... griculture

In response, the pressure against the use of antibiotics in agriculture is rising. The World Health Organization concluded this year that surging antibiotic resistance is one of the leading threats to human health, and the White House last month said the problem is "urgent."

"If we're not careful with antibiotics and the programs to administer them, we're going to be in a post antibiotic era," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, who was tapped to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year.

Also this year, the three federal agencies tasked with protecting public health — the Food and Drug Administration, CDC and U.S. Department of Agriculture — declared drug-resistant diseases stemming from antibiotic use in animals a "serious emerging concern." And FDA deputy commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein told Congress this summer that farmers need to stop feeding antibiotics to healthy farm animals.

 

[SRBeef]

This is likely to turn into a politcal thread but before it does I will post that my oldest daughter is a Family Practice MD now practicing in a western state. She does a lot of work with children. She tells me there is a lot of evidence that antibiotics are not functioning as they did years ago, especially not in children.

There is evidence that all life forms, including bacteria, eventually build up a natural resistance to various things that used to control them. A good example is Round-Up on weeds. A few years ago I was told that there were "No" weeds resistant to Round-up. Well guess what? We now have quite a few weeds that are resistant to Round-up. It happens.

The best way to use any useful tool is only when it is needed.

This is not politics, this is medicine. My daughter is not a political person, she is a darn good doctor.

She says we need to reduce the unnecessary/preventive use of antibiotics whereever possible in order to try to keep the antibiotics effective when we really need them.

The idea that a discussion on antibiotics needs to start with "Obama" in the title is unfortunate. Next thing you know the words "Nancy Pelosi" will be in this thread then we REALLY know there will be no constructive discussion of antibiotic use. jmho.

Jim

 

[Workinonit Farm]

She says we need to reduce the unnecessary/preventive use of antibiotics whereever possible in order to try to keep the antibiotics effective when we really need them.

I agree with reducing the "unnecessary" use of antibiotics.

It is also my opinion that there are many people who are given a prescription for an antibiotic and do not follow the proper dosage instructions which in turn contributes to antibiotic resistance. As in "Aunt Clara had to take antibiotics for strep-throat and she starting feeling better and quit taking it and is now saving the 'left-over' pills in case she needs them for something else".

I do NOT have an Aunt Clara, however I do know 3 people who have done and will continue to practice the above scenario. I believe this is a major factor in antibiotic resistant bacteria. And yes, I have tried, to no avail, to convince these folks NOT to do this.

Katherine

**(edited for a spelling error)

 

[novatech]

SR Here is a link that you should also read.
http://www.fmi.org/docs/media/bg/antibiotics.pdf
I agree with your daughter and some others about it being part of the problem but getting rid of all the antibiotics used on the farm is not about to cure it.

 

[kscowboy]

I'm not sure the average farm is the culprit in this emerging problem. When you look at our milk supply and commercially finished beef there is a lot of chemical passed on thru the food supply. Common sense says it has to have an effect on the chemistry of humans. While the chemists (industry) tells us its safe or it dissipates , I don't trust them as far as i could throw em. I don't have any real answers other than telling folks to buy your foods as close to the farmer as you can get. Most farmers I know are not going to use medications unless it's absolutely necessary.

 

[SRBeef]

SR Here is a link that you should also read.
http://www.fmi.org/docs/media/bg/antibiotics.pdf
I agree with your daughter and some others about it being part of the problem but getting rid of all the antibiotics used on the farm is not about to cure it.

I don't think anyone is trying to eliminate veterinary antibiotics totally.

What is at issue is just the use of antibiotics routinely in animal feed fed or otherwise administered to animals that are NOT sick but intended either as a preventative measure or as a growth enhancer.

I would guess that cattle and beef are probably not fed these "prophylactic" antibiotics nearly as much as pork and chicken on a per pound basis. jmho.

Jim

 

[Brandonm22]

I think you would be surprised at how much antibiotics ARE used at the feedlot level. Now when I was working in the hog biz, I doubt a single pig ever got to the slaughter floor without being medicated at some point (usually CTC in the feed).

 

[BRYANT]

The idea that a discussion on antibiotics needs to start with "Obama" in the title is unfortunate. Next thing you know the words "Nancy Pelosi" will be in this thread then we REALLY know there will be no constructive discussion of antibiotic use. jmho.

SORRY if useing "obama" did not set well with you but the story I read said the gov. was going to look in to it and the only names listed were Dem. Also he seams to think he is mr. fix all , health care ,old car problem ,auto makers, banking,environment,and now animal health care. Seems every thing our goverment,DEMS AND REP, gets involved in turns out in worse shape than it was before. And no I don't hide it I don't like mr. obama and not very many in the gov DEMS AND REP.

Now back to the subject of antibiotics if I understand it they are concern with feeding it in feed we have had a problem with anaplas( may not be spelled right I am not the best speller ) but if I keep the med. meal or blocks out I have not had a problem. I just hope they don't say no more antibiotics for farm use then forget about us

 

[novatech]

I don't think anyone is trying to eliminate veterinary antibiotics totally.

What is at issue is just the use of antibiotics routinely in animal feed fed or otherwise administered to animals that are NOT sick but intended either as a preventative measure or as a growth enhancer.

I would guess that cattle and beef are probably not fed these "prophylactic" antibiotics nearly as much as pork and chicken on a per pound basis. jmho.

Jim

In the link I posted it says that and antibiotics currently being used to treat humans cannot be fed to animals.
In the article that Brandonm22 posted it says that penicillin was fed to the hogs. Penicillin has not been used to treat humans since forever. I admit I know nothing about the effects but it seem as though they have it under control as far as animals are concerned.
My doctor told me, while I was being treated for staf., that the biggest problem was people not finishing the treatments and doctors not making sure the infection was completely gone.
I don't mean to sound like I am arguing the point. I know something has to be done. I would like it to be the right thing, not just something by politicians to get more votes. It will affect a lot of people.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Penicillin has not been used to treat humans since forever.

Not so. At least not where I live. I had a prescrip. for Penicillin 3 years ago.(for me, not any of my animals). My most recent (personal consumption) antibiotic prescrips were for Doxycycline for the treatment of Lyme disease.

My doctor told me, while I was being treated for staf., that the biggest problem was people not finishing the treatments and doctors not making sure the infection was completely gone.

I agree with this statement 100%

I don't mean to sound like I am arguing the point. I know something has to be done. I would like it to be the right thing, not just something by politicians to get more votes. It will affect a lot of people.

I agree with this 100% as well.

Katherine

 

[novaman]

I guess maybe we should just ban antibiotics all together for animals. Let the government pass a ban on them. However, every time an animals dies we get to send a bill to the government. This way we won't lose out by losing the animal and we can have this "safe" food supply where antibiotic resistance will no longer be an issue. The only problem is you could ban antibiotics and miraculously they will come to find that it wasn't the problem to start with. I just roll my eyes and try to go on about things as if I never heard any of this nonsense.

 

[novatech]

Penicillin has not been used to treat humans since forever.

Not so. At least not where I live. I had a prescrip. for Penicillin 3 years ago.(for me, not any of my animals). My most recent (personal consumption) antibiotic prescrips were for Doxycycline for the treatment of Lyme disease.
Katherine

Thanks
I appreciate it when someone corrects me.
The reason my signature is what it is.

 

[Brandonm22]

My doctor told me, while I was being treated for staf., that the biggest problem was people not finishing the treatments and doctors not making sure the infection was completely gone.

I agree with your doctor. That is a lot more plausible theory than the one being discussed here. We could just outlaw ALL fresh meats. Requiring that all meat products be cooked to 170 degrees F internally at the plant before it is ever marketed would make the product a whole lot healthier.....if we really wanted absolute safety. I would just as soon daddy government get out of the food regulatory business and let the free market govern.