A kind of animal feeding operation (AFO), feedlot is beingfound in a factory farming for finishing livestock, particularly beef cattle. CAFOs or concentrated animal feeding operations usedfor big beef feedlots in america, while ILOs or intensive livestock operations (or confined feeding operations-CFOs) for Canada. These feedlots might accommodate thousands of animals in a considerable number of cages. Governmental permits have to operate such feeding operations and has tosupply a clear plan in dealing withthe largequantity of waste that’ll be generated by the animals.
Customarily, all beef was grass fed beef, but it istotally different now and it’s unfortunatethat our beef supply is almost 90% feedlot beef.
With the government subsidy, it became cheaper and faster. Back then, steers were normally butchered at the age of four to five years old. But because of grains, they grow so quick and steers now can be slaughtered much younger, usually 14 to 16 months old.
Typically, all beef cattle graze on forage grass during thefirst few months of their lives. But then almost all are fattened in feed yards where they eat grain or corn, but not with Grass Fed Beef Windsor North Carolina. A beef calf comes with a weight of 80 pounds upon birth but grow to 1,200 pounds for staying more than a year on grass. Well, that certainly constitutes aa large amount of corn, soy-based protein additives, antibiotics and other drugs which include growth hormones.
Although itis more economic to shift a cow from grass to grain under the prevailing farm policies, its extremely distressful to the animal’s digestive system. Not to say that if it is done hurriedly, it is also risky and may possibly kill a steer if antibiotics are not administered regularly.
What makes it our concern if our beef is a feedlot or grass fed beef?
1. Growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Consequently, aside from being odd and hazardous to our own the animals, it has medical consequences to us. Since they’re being rationed with antibiotics each day, the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria develop surely. Sadly, these make our antibiotics inefficient in treating human diseases.
2. E.coli 0157:H7 bacteria
The system of feeding cattle with grain in feedlots is culpable of the intensive prevalence of the lethal bacteria generally known as E. coli 0157:H7. The intestinal tracts of grain fed cattle become more acidic, which aids the growth of the said bacteria and can actually kill somebody who will eat an undercooked meat i.e. hamburger patties, etc.
3. Source of water and pollution
In feedlots, too much animal wastes generatesand a lotof times being chemically managed, these factory farms develop into a shocking source of water and air pollution.
Michael Pollan, a writerplus a journalist commented:
“We have succeeded in industrializing the beef calf, transforming what was once a solar-powered ruminant into thevery last thingwe want: another fossil-fuel machine.”
4. Great source of saturated fats
A lot of us believe that a corn-fed beef is nutritionally superior and make a well-marbled flesh, but it is not. That is primarily saturated fat that can not be sheared off.
Read more: http://spruillbros.com/the-reality-about-feedlots/
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