Not in My Food.org : Know what you're eating
CU’s Senior Research Associate, Michael Hansen writes about animal litter (yes, that kind of litter) and bones being fed to chickens and cows.
You know the saying, “you are what they eat”? That’s may be true with a strange cattle feed ingredient—chicken poop. Sound disgusting? It sure is. Back in 1967, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out a policy statement that poultry litter (which consists of chicken manure aka poop, feathers, spilled feed, bedding material, dead rodents, etc.) couldn’t be considered safe, and so was banned in cattle feed. In 1980, however, FDA decided this wasn’t a federal issue and so revoked the policy, leaving it up to the states to regulate the use of poultry litter in cattle feed. Since then, however, few states are even monitoring the use of poultry litter as cattle feed.
So, what kind of human health risks could there be from feeding poultry litter to cattle? One risk is mad cow disease. At present, material from cows—meat and bone meal—can be ground up and put in chicken feed. Since poultry litter can contain spilled feed, this means material from cows can be indirectly fed back to cows via poultry litter. Indeed, in 2003, Dr. Lester Crawford, then deputy Commissioner of the FDA, said that “There is a possibility that chickens waste so much feed that the litter can contain up to 30% meat and bone meal.” Since it is estimated that some 1 million tons—or two billion pounds—of poultry litter are fed to cattle every year, that is a lot of cattle material potentially being fed back to cattle. Feeding cattle material back to cattle is risk factor for mad cow disease.
In addition, a number of antibiotics and other drugs are fed to poultry, but which could be toxic to cattle, and so would be found in the poultry litter. Indeed, an arsenic compound is fed as a growth promotant to chickens and could also be found in chicken litter which can be fed to cattle. Arsenic is a cancer causing chemical.
Indeed, if an animal feed factory was known to produce feed that could be contaminated with drugs, antibiotics, arsenic, etc. at unknown levels, FDA would shut that factory down. But if the factory turns out to be a chicken, then the FDA does not regulate it.
Right now, there is a petition, supported by Consumers Union, before the FDA to ban the use of poultry litter in cattle feed. Click here to sign the petition. To find out more information go to foodanimalconcerns.org
This truly is gross to the max. What is even worse is that you guys (the US) are shipping this feces fed food (SFB into Canada to be sold to unsuspecting customers here.
It is so crazy that our food safety org. the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) has banned the practise of feeding poultry feces to livestock in Canada YET Freely and unabashedly allows feces fed US beef free access into Canada. Right, guess who is responsible for the safety of imported foods — Yep, the same CFIA. How is that for a “tale from the crypt”? and So sad that it is actually true
cowboss …. http://cowbossatwscc.blogspot.com/
The author knows little about the feed business and doesn’t consider that renders collect inedible parts from slaughter plants, restaurants, and cut up businesses. The products are inspected prior to cooking. Yes, the product is cooked under pressure. Fractions of the cooked products are then seperated for further processing that may return to consumers as soaps. This process is nearly 3000 years old. Candles are made from the parafin floated off, soaps from the fat, and a highly digestible protein that doesn’t end up in a landfill. The cost of civilization is providing food, shelter, and clothing. Without the highly regulated rendering industry food for 300 million people would have to strugle similar to less fortunate countries. Concern over Mad cow disease prompted research that continues through USDA and what was known about prions afforded changes by feed manufacturers and renders. These changes occured in 2002 and continues to be modified as new findings are published in peer reviewed scientific journals.
In regards to feeding poultry manure to cattle, I would be hard pressed to find any cattle feed lot doing so. However, consider that the rumen of cattle is a microbial soup with a mixture of bacterial organizims that not only thrive in rumen but also become a protein source for the host. Humans can eat bacteria and benefit similarly, although not to that of the rumanant. Chicken excreta is what the digestive tract has used and what it cannot use as a monogastric. The bacteria in the rumen however can repartition those nutrients into microrganisms that cattle can benefit from.
The author mentions arsenicals fed to chickens. Arsenicals are used and have been used to effectively prevent coccidiosis, however, since poultry producers now have better coccidiostats available, fewer chicken farmers choose to use arsenicals. With more research we are gaining better understanding of the disease and vaccines which permit the chickens immune system to functionally prevent losses.
The really exciting research is in learning how pathogens interact with less threatening organisms in the gut. What we learn from those studies will also guide the medical profession in using fewer antibiotic prescriptions. There are more microrganisms in our intestinal tract than we have cells. Learning how they interact permits us to manage our own health.
In summary, the article is old and not very factual.
Chicken poop is high in nutrition. I wouldn’t eat it, and it may be icky, but the practice shouldn’t be dismissed as horrible. Cow poop and chicken poop is also often composted and used as a garden fertilizer for growing veggies. Gross? Maybe to second graders, but we are adults here, right?
Cattle shouldn’t be fed to cattle. That I agree with and I know nothing about the spillage, etc.
Small farms with chickens and cows shouldn’t be burdened with more federal controls.
“Friends don’t let friends eat grocery store meat”
I’ve been buying meat from a butcher who raises his own cattle for years. No hormones, no poop, no objectionable feed. I don’t want to eat meat that was fed chicken poop.
Also check your dog food. Animal digest is poop. Poop from all kinds of animals.