# "Downed" Cows & Food Safety



## fatback joe (Jan 31, 2008)

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/30/und...deo/index.html

Don't know what to say about this one.   Pretty disturbing IMO


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## bassman (Jan 31, 2008)

You may want to consider the source.  Wayne Pacelle and the HSUS would rather nobody eat meat, own a gun or in fact wear leather shoes!!  I certainly don't go looking for their propaganda.  I recently cancelled a credit card issued by Bank of America because of their affiliation with HSUS.                  Keith


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## richtee (Jan 31, 2008)

Gives "stats" a whole new dimention. I hate stats. Sometimes.


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## crockadale (Jan 31, 2008)

Our local news ran that story last night. It sounds like they used the CNN write up word for word. Didn't show all the clip but did use parts of it.


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## sporty (Jan 31, 2008)

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- _Autobiography of Mark Twain_


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## packplantpath (Jan 31, 2008)

The only real risk is mad cow disease and the USDA has a big, big secret they don't want the public to find out.  They tell you that as long as you don't eat brain spinal tissue (which includes T-bones unless I'm badly mistaken), there is no risk.  Research has come to light that the method of killing cows by driving the spike into the forehead actually vaporizes parts of the brain, while the heart still pumps for up to a minute in some cases.  This in turn pumps potentially infective proteins throughout the meat of the animal.

My response, eh, it was worth it.  That was some good eatin'. 

Frankly, the risk is so low as to be non-existent for most of us, but if the general public found out pandemonium would break out.  The rate of BSE in the US is quite low, and proper control of feeding practices keeps the risk even lower.


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## travcoman45 (Jan 31, 2008)

All I can say is:  "MOOOOOOO".


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## capt dan (Feb 1, 2008)

I did see the video from the slaughter house last night on the national news, I found it quite disturbing, not sure how widespread it is. I  am sure  we will see more about it in the comming weeks.


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## packplantpath (Feb 1, 2008)

I've been through a few different slaughterhouses over the years.  Mostly smithfield packing.  It's never pretty.  Poorly paid, illegal immigrants who are pushed to do more work in less time and they do it, but at the cost of the animal.


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## seboke (Feb 2, 2008)

Yeah, yeah...  Cryin' my eyes out.  Given it is a disturbing video.  Good thing my favorite smokin' critters are pigs and chickens!


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## capt dan (Feb 2, 2008)

Is that directed at me? Just curious.


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## big e (Feb 2, 2008)

My question is "are you surprised?".

Look at the way humans treat humans. Does it surprise you to see humans treating animals this way knowing what we do to each other?

Bottom line is that the slaughtering of animals is a messy business. Most folks just want to pretend that the prepackaged meat they buy appears out of thin air. Meat comes from dead animals. I'm fine with that. I think everyone should be made to hunt and kill their own dinner at least once.

These facilities should be run better. There is no need to torture the animals before killing them. If this means putting the animal down and then using a hoist or other method to get them to processing then that is what you do.

IMHO

BIG E


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## richtee (Feb 2, 2008)

Great book BTW.


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## capt dan (Feb 2, 2008)

according to government standards, the animal is supposed to be able to walk down the road to death, not dragged or hoisted. There is a reason for that, its called .......laws!

The reason I know that is,  a very good friend of mine is a federal beef  inspector, we talked about this just tonight.


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## big e (Feb 2, 2008)

AHH was unaware of that Dan. Then it seems like they have a bigger problem hunh? Obviously more inspectors and steeper fines are needed.


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## camp_cookie (Feb 2, 2008)

Anybody else catch that those cattle were almost all Holsteins, which is a dairy breed?  

My guess is that was a meat packing plant were the meat was used for dog food.  Those cattle were culled from dairy herds due to injury or age.  I seriously doubt any of the meat from those animals ended as human consumption.


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## smoke freak (Feb 2, 2008)

After 26 years workin in a feedmill that makes mostly beef feed, I can assure you all that changes have been made in manufacturing processes and ingrediant supply chains that virtually eliminate any chances of BSE spreading throughout our herds. Inspections are frequent and thorough. I eat beef with NO hesitation no matter what the alarmists are trying to spread to the public. For those with fear, go eat salad!


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## goat (Feb 2, 2008)

It cost money to slaughter animals and there has to be a return to the owner of the animals in order to pay freight, slaughter fees, etc., otherwise they would just put them down and call the rendering plant to pick them up.  This is where a lot of pet food comes from.

The owner of those cattle is hoping to get that cow by the inspector and get enough money for the carcass to make it worth his time and money.  Probably she walked up the ramp onto the truck and slipped down while in route and could not get her feet back under her.  Read the book, "Fast Food Nation".  Beef from these cows is used exclusively to make ground meat or manufactured beef products such as hot dogs and bologna.  Here is another quote that you can take to heart.  "That's why they're used for vienna sausages, grade-school cafeteria hamburgers and other processed meat products you don't want to know too much about."

The law says they cannot slaughter downers any longer.  To what extent this law is being adhered to, I don't know.

I have been in the livestock business all my life.  Worked in Kansas feedlots 4 years, bought and sold cattle numerous years.  Put my son thur college Masters degree with a minor in Meat Science.  I have had more than just a little exposer to the beef business.


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## camp_cookie (Feb 2, 2008)

My family was in the dairy business, but we have all gotten out of it now.  My uncle uses a good portion of the land to run beef cattle now.  Nobody within the family was still milking by the time I was old enough to be truly involved, but I did work for a nearby dairy that was leased from a cousin.   My immediate family quit milking after my grandfather was killed in the barn when a cow kicked him.  In high school, I worked for the local vet that handled most of the dairies in the county (62 at that time); so, I was around it a good bit.

All of the aged and injured dairy cattle in my area were sold for dog food.


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## goat (Feb 3, 2008)

That is good Camp, I happen to be in an area that they go into ground meat and other things as stated above.  A lot of dairies have moved to Texas in the last 20 years.  The video showed other healthy cattle waiting there for slaughter.  The law says they cannot slaughter downers.  I don't think that the cow in question was headed for pet food.


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## peculiarmike (Feb 3, 2008)

*Let's SMOKE something!*


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## camp_cookie (Feb 3, 2008)

The dairy industry back home has taken a huge hit.  In 1990, there were 62 working dairies in a county of 17,000 people.  The last number I saw had under 40 working dairies in the county.

As I said above, my immediate family quit milking when my grandfather died, and my uncle started running beef cattle on the land.  My great-uncle had a dairy directly across the road from us.  He quit milking when I was in elementary school.  I'm not sure when my cousin that is just up the road quit milking, but he leased the land and barn to another dairyman, and I worked on that farm once I was old enough to be of any use.  A few years ago, that guy bought land in another county and moved his operation and the barn isn't being used for milking anymore.

It's kind of sad to go home to visit and see subdivisions where a long time family dairies used to be.


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