IT'S STILL A "JUNGLE" OUT THERE

IT'S STILL A "JUNGLE" OUT THEREunwitting cannibals. Most people have a visceral
... Or How US Beef-Industry Feeding Practices Are anegative reaction to the concept of cannibalism, even
Source of Concernwhen it occurs naturally in a species. But in this case,
If you think about farmers raising cattle, youthe cows' cannibalism is 100% at man's insistence.
probably conjure up something like this happy cowProfit and pricing pressures are behind
scene: Mellow heifers quietly grazing on the lush grassit-slaughterhouse waste is a cheap source of food
of the rolling countryside, lazily swishing their tails atfor the grower's operations.
pesky bugs. New-born and young calves gettingMaybe you think serving up cow's blood to calves
nourishment from the milk in their mothers' teats. Forand rendered slaughterhouse waste to feedlot cattle
us here at Grinning Planet, such images make usare shady, fringe practices. But such feedings are
reminisce about our days in the Mu Alpha Mustandard in the beef industry, and completely within
fraternity, when we'd hang out at the Dairy Queencurrent regulations. The beef industry has
every Friday after class singing all the greataggressively tried to quell any discussion of the issue,
milk-drinking songs.and they generally get full support from the US
But back to the dreamy visions of cow country. ItDepartment of Agriculture and the Food and Drug
seems there is a nightmarish underbelly here, andAdministration.
much of the nightmare centers on animal feed.Though "recycling" of animal slaughter waste may
While it's true that cows typically spend the first yearseem somewhat appealing from a waste-disposal
or two of their lives grazing on pasture, there areperspective, the barbarity of these practices is
two ugly facts about how "agribusiness" in the USenough to make one cringe. But there is an even
feeds cows:worse problem with these methods. In the next
A baby cow does not typically feed from itsEco-Logical, we'll talk about how Mad Cow Disease
mother's teat, but rather is fed a bottled formula mixrelates to these feeding practices, and we'll offer
that contains (among other things) the blood of cowssome suggestions for finding beef that is free of
that have previously been slaughtered. Eww!freakish feeds.
Once a maturing cow leaves the pasture for theWant more... See part II
feed lots, it is typically given a feed mix that containsFor jokes, cartoons, and more great environmental
slaughterhouse waste-parts from cows, pigs, andinformation, visit .
chickens that have been ground up, rendered, andCopyright © 2003 by You have permission to
mixed with grain or other feed stocks. Double eww!publish this article electronically or in print, free of
Basically, those in the ranching and feedlot industriescharge, as long as the bylines are included. Must be
have turned cows-which are purely vegetarian bypublished complete with no changes. A courtesy copy
design-into meat-eaters, and to some extent,of your publication would be appreciated.