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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!!
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To: Lady Lurksalot who wrote (25074)9/28/1998 5:17:00 PM
From: Jacques Chitte  Read Replies (2) of 108807
 
Feed additives. Interesting topic. I must admit, I have opinions here, but they're "soft", based on general principles rather than a technical command of the specialty.
Antibiotics and steroids are used to increase yield in the meat and poultry industries. Atbs reduce animal loss, especially in "hothouse" poultry ranches where a stray infection could explosively affect the population. Steroids and growth hormones allow the steer to more efficiently turn feed calories (and dollars) into pounds of marketable meat. The cost of the additive is always much less than the benefit in yield.
Only two market forces could affect the use of feed additives imho. One would be a failure of concept - such as a poultry antibiotic losing effectiveness. Ranchers and drug reps keep close tabs on the economics here.
The other would be a regulatory cause. DES was notorious some years back for being a reproductive poison in humans. Then in the early 70s there was a big flap because it showed up in analytical results from chicken necks. It was being used as a chicken booster. It was promptly regulated out of use, and I think there are strict procedures on drug content in human-approved foodstuffs.
I think these additives are fine, personally. A number of folks here aren't into meat, and I could imagine them mounting an ethical gripe with using feed additives. I like meat, and I have no qualms about eating steroid-fed beef or bST-boosted milk. But that's my opinion, and keep in mind it's soft. Cuddly even. :-)

I did learn that State Fairs have become quite cutthroat in their competitiveness.
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