Beef is Safe – Thoughts From The Middle of Nowhere

I saw a story this morning that claims the Government isn't doing enough to <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com//index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2006/01/05/build/nation/50-madcow.inc">protect people and animals from <acronym title="Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy">BSE</acronym></a>. The article is short on facts and long on hyperbole but as a rancher I felt it important to respond. n nTo start with I will say that overall beef production in the US is safe. With the rules in place for slaughtering and removing source material the chance of <acronym title="Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy">BSE</acronym> being introduced, if any cattle have it, is minuscule. Now, can the rules for feed be tightened up to even lessen the chance of a cow getting <acronym title="Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy">BSE</acronym>. Hard to say without a lot of scientific research but I think it could. n nThe rules in place do not allow cattle protein to be fed back to cattle but, as an example, chicken waste can. Cattle waste can be fed to chickens, so in a round about way the cattle protein can get back to the cows. In my opinion there is no reason we need to be feeding cattle waste byproducts from cattle or other critters which could transmit disease. It just doesn't make sense and I agree that these rules could be tightened up. I don't feel all the hyperbole is necessary. n nJust remember, Beef is safe and the defense against <acronym title="Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy">BSE</acronym> is not weak or feeble. By all scientific standards available, the defense is more than adequate. As with anything there are areas it could be better but hyperbole is not necessary. A reasonable conversation would be much better. n nExaggeration is a blood relation to falsehood and nearly as blamable. Hosea Ballou