Corn, M&Ms and Potato Chips...

I saw this and nearly fell out of my chair.

Yes, cows are actually fed this blend.

See for yourself (video).



[edit on 22-8-2008 by loam]

WoW.... That myfriend is Insane.

soon it will be IVs...... an virtual grazing.

Who knows maybe just all out cloning, with genetic altering. What a sad state of being,

so not only have we altered out landscape but our food supply as well.
Go Humans. ....???


Great Find as usual Loam.

I understand the concern - that of what is healthiest for the end consumer - but I need to point out that the most devastating event that can happen to land is to graze it. So if you look at the environmental aspect of this (versus the fear of the diet of the animal and its subsequent affect on the human consumer) the fed cattle has far less adverse affect on the environment than the field-grazed cattle.

In these issues it is NEVER black and white...it's always shades of grey. We have to decide what is more important when we look at what we will impact negativesly. And we WILL impact something negatively, because we simply can't take energy from the natural resources and NOT cause an adverse affect.

I'm just not sure this is worse than devastating the land - that's all I'm trying to say. Cattle are severely devastating to potentially very productive lands.

P.S. I'm back in school now - loam! working on a degree in Environmental Management and then on to a Master of Environmental Science, so it's good to get to discuss these issues with you intelligently!!

lol

Cattle ranches are going to start looking more like pig farms. Cows eating chips and chocolate... want a little junk food with you beef?

I dont know what is wrose, the cows gettin all that chocolate or knowing that all the stuff the cow is eating has toxins in it. lol

this thread an this Linked one go hand an hand now.

Toxin Overload

Now all meat should read " Artificially Flavored "

Originally posted by Valhall
P.S. I'm back in school now - loam! working on a degree in Environmental Management and then on to a Master of Environmental Science, so it's good to get to discuss these issues with you intelligently!!

lol

That's awesome!

Sometimes, I think I should have done that, instead of the whole world domination thing...

*sigh*

Originally posted by Valhall
...I need to point out that the most devastating event that can happen to land is to graze it...

No doubt, if done poorly. However, some rotational grazing practices can actually be done in a sustainable way. But the impact to the overall environment is still pretty bad. The principle problem is still one of scale.

Originally posted by Valhall
So if you look at the environmental aspect of this (versus the fear of the diet of the animal and its subsequent affect on the human consumer) the fed cattle has far less adverse affect on the environment than the field-grazed cattle.

Yes. Except you'll note that the cattle in the story I posted are being fed this 'bovine trail mix', instead of the corn-feed they would otherwise have had, because of the substantial increase in feed expense. So the comparison to grazing is not really the primary issue.

Honestly, I'm not really sure how bad this is from a consumer health standpoint. Let's face it, the quality of our protein in this country already sucks to begin with!

So what's a little junk food on top of all of the other artificial crap and hormones we inject or force feed them with?

You have to admit, though, it's still pretty surprising nonetheless...



[edit on 23-8-2008 by loam]

Yep, I do agree. And I assume this high carbohydrate diet is aimed at people who like "marbled" (that reads FAT) meat cuts. I'm a lean-meat person, so it doesn't make any sense to me.

bovine trail mix - lmao

And that's why I now buy only grass fed organic beef. You would not believe how tender it is. It cannot compare to the stuff sold in grocery stores. You really aren't paying more if you buy half a cow. I think I paid $2.39 a lb. ( including processing) for 400 lbs of beef. That's a pretty good price, if you ask me. Plus the quality is excellent.

[edit on 23-8-2008 by virraszto]

I couldn't hear the video, but I think I got the idea from all the other posts.

This is really nothing new. Mad Cow is thought to be from an older practice of feeding ground-up cow parts to cows in their feed. Of course, the FDA decided to end that practice. Now they feed the ground-up cow parts to chickens. The chicken poop (which now contains undigested ground-up cow parts) is then fed to the cows.

The problem is corporate greed, a lack of free income on the part of most people, and a government that allows this kind of thing to go on (and exasperates it, if you want to go into why people can't afford organic beef). This is apparently not as bad as recycling cows using chickens, but the problem is still that cows are meant to eat grass and grain. Anything else is going to change the chemical composition of the meat.

Grazing is sustainable in reasonable concentrations. It is just not as profitable.

TheRedneck

Originally posted by TheRedneck
This is apparently not as bad as recycling cows using chickens, but the problem is still that cows are meant to eat grass and grain. Anything else is going to change the chemical composition of the meat.

I agree. At least it's not that.

Originally posted by Valhall
bovine trail mix - lmao

Thanks. I thought that was amusing, if I do say so myself.

In the past year, I've moved to the more lean, organic variety too. (But I do love my occasional rib-eye.) I'm also eating much more bison and game meat.

In the end, it's really sad what we are doing to the food supply. I hope we are not made to pay more dire consequences later because of these livestock practices...

Oh well.

If you really want to get into the "grossness" of this, then you have to look at the M&M's - not because your cattle are eating them, but because you are...and you're eating cheeses, etc.

All of these have "Rennet" which has been used for ever to cause the coagulation in cheese and in chocolates...yum yum.

Rennet contains chymosin which is a "milk-coagulating enzyme". Rennet is harvested from the mucousal lining of the 4th stomach of unweaned calves - i.e. it is a by-product of veal. SOOOOO....if you have been a staunch opposer to eating veal, but you pop a chocolate covered peanut - tag - you just invested in the veal business.

www.inchem.org...

Face it - you'll never be clean.


[edit on 8-23-2008 by Valhall]

WOW, so should the moral of this story be ;

" Everything can taste good, its just a matter of preparation? "

or

" OMG, Thats crazy "

lol seriously thank you Valhall I learnt something new today. Vile lil fact, but it most likely wont stop me from enjoying the next piece of chocolate.

Originally posted by Valhall
Rennet contains chymosin which is a "milk-coagulating enzyme". Rennet is harvested from the mucousal lining of the 4th stomach of unweaned calves - i.e. it is a by-product of veal. SOOOOO....if you have been a staunch opposer to eating veal, but you pop a chocolate covered peanut - tag - you just invested in the veal business.

www.inchem.org...

Face it - you'll never be clean.

I had no idea!

Reminds me of the hooves thing and gelatin. That came as a total surprise to me too.

I have to admit though, I still eat all of the above.



[edit on 23-8-2008 by loam]

One of the cattlemen was a Feeder, the other looked to be a cow/calf operator.

Two different critters. Doing two different operations.

I will tell you this, to make cattle gain, the feeder must feed energy.



Roper