Farmed Animal Watch - October 17, 2001

Farmed Animal Watch
A Project of Animal Place

October 17, 2001 (To Search This Page Press Ctrl F)
Issue #35

CONTENTS

1. Opposition to "Downed" Animal Ban 2. Foreign Actions Against Factory Farming Practices 3. On Guard Against Bio-Attack 4. Turkey Disease Virus Identified 5. Pigs Dying from Respiratory Diseases 6. USDA Agricultural Research Center Overview 7. Animal Organs as Medicine 8. International Meat, Poultry and Seafood Exposition 9. Digestive Cancers Linked to Animal Nutrients 10. Tasty Tofu 1. OPPOSITION TO "DOWNED" ANIMAL BAN Legislation recently passed the House which requires stockyards and auctions to euthanize seriously ill and injured animals (see issue #34). The bill seeks to prevent these animals from going to slaughter, but does not affect animals at slaughterplants. A USDA investigation in the early 1990's found disabled animals at 66 of the 1,415 stockyards inspected. Industry is opposing the ban, pointing instead to internal policies against the sale of disabled animals. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association argues that restrictions on burning and burying make it difficult to dispose of dead animals. Rendering plants are now charging to take the bodies. Others complain that the ban would reduce the monitoring of animal disease and could make it difficult to identify emerging diseases early. The Senate version of the legislation has not been written yet. In an article about Canadian animal agriculture expansion, animal scientist Joe Stookey contends that industry must better address animal welfare concerns. In September, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported that 7,362 nonambulatory cattle were found in a study of feedlots and auctions, 6,631 having come from dairy operations. Industry responded by saying that only half of the animals were condemned. Dr. Stookey commented, "We shouldn't hide producers that don't [meet the guidelines]. We need to tell the public that those who break the rules have been prosecuted and convicted and wont be in the business any more." "Injured Livestock Ban Worries Meat Industry," The Salt Lake Tribune, Philip Brasher, October 14, 2001. http://www.sltrib.com/10142001/nation_w/140214.htm "Animal Welfare here to stay," The Western Producer, Michael Raine, October 9, 2001. http://www.producer.com/articles/20011004/livestock/20011004ls02.html 2. FOREIGN ACTIONS AGAINST FACTORY FARMING PRACTICES The New Zealand SPCA began its biggest national campaign to date, in an attempt to get sow stalls banned. Noting that the boredom and frustration of such intense confinement can drive pigs insane, it is asking consumers to choose between "deranged" or "free range" pigs. The government will be asking for public input during its upcoming review of the Welfare Code for Pigs. The SPCA hopes to use the opportunity to get sow crates banned. About a third of the country's 300 pig operations still use crates. The SPCA rejected a Pork Industry Board proposal to phase crates out in 10 years but allow their use for the first 4 weeks of pregnancy. Industry is claiming that sows become aggressive when pregnant and the phase out period is needed to change breeding patterns. Increased housing, feeding and labor costs are also at issue. Industry claims higher costs would open up the market to imports from Canada, where 95% of sows spend their lives in stalls. Australia's Animal Liberation is taking action against an Adelaide egg operation that force molts hens. According to the organization the practice is illegal under South Australian law. It claims to have both written and photographic proof that the operation is engaging in the practice. Animal Liberation has referred the matter to the RSPCA, which has legal authority, and plans to present evidence to the police. "SPCA Mounts Anti Sow Stall Campaign," Newsroom, October 17, 2001. http://www.newsroom.co.nz/story/69856-37-0.html "Animal Liberation group takes action against egg producer," Australian Broadcasting News Online, October 17, 2001. http://www.abc.net.au/news/state/sa/archive/metsa-17oct2001-8.htm 3. ON GUARD AGAINST BIO-ATTACK The 6.5 million cattle in Nebraska outnumber people there 4 to 1. The FBI considers the economic fallout that would result from a biological attack on farmed animals to be the biggest threat to the state. With ranches spread out over thousands of acres, monitoring every acre and animal is unrealistic and cattle are considered a likely target. The very idea of a plot to intentionally infect cattle is destabilizing. "It's good planning on the part of terrorists to be suggesting these things," notes the dean of international studies at the University of Nebraska. Since 1997, U.S. labs must be certified to handle anthrax and can only send it to authorized recipients. However, according to a research associate at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, stealing the bacteria from a lab or getting it from another country would be fairly easy. It is easily concealed and available on the black market. There are no human-made strains of the bacteria, but scientists have genetically modified anthrax and strains have been developed that are extremely deadly and resistant to antibiotics. "Ranchers worried about bio-attack," The Associated Press, Margery Beck, October 10, 2001. http://www.journalstar.com/nebraska?story_id=4466 "Many Possible Sources of Anthrax," The Associated Press, Matt Crenson, October 10, 2001. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/htx/ap/20011010/hl/anthrax_case_strain_3.html http://www.biosecuritycenter.org 4. TURKEY DISEASE VIRUS IDENTIFIED Poult Enteritis Mortality Syndrome (PEMS) is a highly infectious, contagious disease that causes severe diarrhea, stunted growth and high death rates in young turkeys. It affects the immune system, making birds susceptible to other infectious agents. PEMS outbreaks cost the turkey industry millions of dollars annually. A virus which has been active in turkey flocks in the southeast U.S. since the early 1990's causes the disease and is now circulating throughout the U.S. The disease-causing organism, an astrovirus, was recently isolated. It is associated with diarrhea outbreaks in humans and other animals. This particular astrovirus is very stable and resistant to disinfection. Researchers hope to make a vaccine against it. "A Newly Discovered and Sequenced Turkey Disease Virus," Agricultural Research Service News, Sharon Durham, October 11, 2001. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2001/011011.htm 5. PIGS DYING FROM RESPIRATORY DISEASES A (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System report on pig health and management shows that 39% of pigs that die in the finishing (fattening) phase are killed by respiratory diseases. This is down from 48% in 1990. In contrast, 29% of baby pig deaths are due to respiratory diseases, up from 24% in 1990. The report is the third in a series on the pig industry. The first, released in 1990, focused on farrowing and preweaned pigs. A 1995 report focused on the growing and finishing stage of production. A follow-up report on respiratory disease vaccinations is due in December. "Respiratory Problems Still Plague Industry," National Hog Farmer, Gretchen Schlosser, October 15, 2001. http://industryclick.com/magazinearticle.asp?magazineid=17&releaseid=9395&magazinearticleid=129479&siteid=5 http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cahm 6. USDA AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER OVERVIEW An article in Agricultural Research Magazine reviews the 90-year history of the USDA's Agricultural Research Center, the largest such facility in the world. The article includes an informative time line of the facility's milestones, many involving farmed animal research. They include the Dairy Herd Improvement Program, credited with increasing milk production fourfold; the development of different strains of animals, leading to the commercial predomination of a very few strains; nutrition and breeding discoveries; and vaccines and other disease controls. "Beltsville Agriculture Research Center," Agricultural Research Magazine, J. Kim Kaplan, October 2001. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/oct01/barc1001.htm 7. ANIMAL ORGANS AS MEDICINE Sioux Pharm is one of a few biotech companies using farmed animals for pharmaceuticals. "We can use eyeballs from cows, their brains, their pituitaries, their intestines, their stomach," says founder Allen Kramer. The Iowa company uses animal cartilage to make a nutritional supplement for people who suffer from osteoarthritis. Other companies use shellfish and shark cartilage to make the supplement. Sioux Pharm uses the tracheas of cows, having used 7 million tons of trachea tissue so far this year. Its annual sales of the supplement have jumped to $10 million per year. "Company Using Livestock for Medicine," Associated Press, Emily Gersema, October 17, 2001. http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=85164451 8. INTERNATIONAL MEAT, POULTRY AND SEAFOOD EXPOSITION The American Meat Institute will hold its biannual International Meat, Poultry and Seafood Exposition in Chicago from October 18-21, 2001. More than 35,000 industry heads are expected to engage in roundtable discussions, panel presentations and educational sessions. Scheduled conference sessions include: "Meat Outlook for EPA," "BSE and Foot & Mouth Overview," and "Economic Outlook for Meat and Poultry." There will also be in excess of 600 exhibits. http://www.worldwidefood.com/ami_about.htm 9. DIGESTIVE CANCERS LINKED TO ANIMAL NUTRIENTS Specific stomach and esophageal cancer risks have been linked to the consumption of cholesterol, animal protein and B12. Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine also found that plant-based nutrients, such as fiber, beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamins C and B6, reduced the risks of these cancers. The study was undertaken to identify reasons for the 300% increase in a specific type of stomach/esophageal cancer since the mid-1970's. Obesity was also closely linked with the cancer risks. Recommended prevention strategies include increasing consumption of plant-based foods, decreasing consumption of animal-based foods, and controlling obesity. "Yale University: Animal-based nutrients linked with higher risk of stomach and esophageal cancers," M2 Presswire, Karen N. Peart, October 16, 2001. http://library.northernlight.com/FA20011016690000146.html?cb=0&dx=1006&sc=0 10. TASTY TOFU Despite the advice of dieticians and health enthusiasts for Americans to replace meat and cheese with soy-based foods, many still resist tofu. The soybean cake comes in different textures, and, like meat, assumes the flavor of other ingredients it is cooked with. In this article, tofu connoisseurs offer recipes and cooking suggestions, and a retired Marine Corps captain credits tofu with helping him to lose weight and reduce his cholesterol count. Additional recipes and cooking tips can be had from chasmo@netcommander.com. "How to make tasty tofu," The Gainesville Sun, Thomas Kielbasa, October 11, 2001. http://www.gainesvillesun.com/DAYBREAK/articles/2001-10-11to.shtml