---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 06:59:52 -0400
From: Klaus Wiegand <WIEGAND@LUFA-SP.MHS.compuserve.com>
To: Andy Clark <aclark@nal.usda.gov>
Subject: Re: E. Coli and Cow Diet (fwd)
on 13th. sept dane bernard wrote:
>Maybe I misread the press release on this work but as I recall
>the article doesn't say that a reduction in pathogens
>was acheived (although I hope this is the case). I think
>the claim is that feeding hay reduces the number of
>acid resistant E. coli which would make any pathogens
>that might be present less likely to survive gastric acidity.
>This would make human illness less likely to occur but not
>necessarily because of an absence of a particular
>serotype of E. coli. If true, this would still leave us
>with an interesting decision regarding regulatory policy.
CATTLE DIETS COULD CONTROL E. COLI DANGER; SIMPLE CHANGE IN CATTLE DIETS
COULD CUT "E. COLI" INFECTION, USDA AND CORNELL SCIENTISTS REPORT
>Fortunately there is a workable solution to the food-safety
>problem, the scientists say.
workable yes, but financially acceptable ?? problem is: the farmer
has NO influence at all on the possible later infection in the
slaughterhouse (at least here in europe). should HE alone pay
the price for safer meat ?
>"In the meantime, now that we know where the acid-resistant
>"E. coli" are coming from, we can control them with a
>relatively inexpensive change in diet," Russell says. A
>brief period of hay-feeding immediately before slaughter
>"should not affect either carcass size or meat quality,"
if you change the diet abruptly, every cattle farmer will
tell you, that the cattle will also abruptly refuse to feed.
uptake : about 30 pounds of dm plus about 60 pounds of
water. no uptake of dm, almost no uptake of water. sums up
to a loss of 90 pounds the first day !! which you will by no
means get back in the next 4 days ! even if you loose no
more than 20 pounds in these 5 days, that sums up to a
financial loss of 40 marks (about 20$). acceptable ??
which brings me to my questions:
any practising cattle farmer here, who thinks, there will be
no significant loss of weight, even with a adapting diet
with rising hay portions (in 5 days !) ?
and two other questions:
a) is the cattle in the US sold and paid by "live weight" or
by "slaughter/carcass weight" ? in case of feeding refusal
due to diet change payment by "live weight" would even more
be disastrous for the grower.
b) do your feeding rations solely consist of grain ?? here
in europe we mostly have mixtures of grain and hay with an
ABSOLUTE maximum of 80% grain. most farmers will feed much
less grain. i thought that in contrast to the small farms
here in europe you have extremely vast areas of pasture and
do make use of them... that assumption is wrong ?
p.s: here in germany cattle is infected by 50% !! with EHEC.
nevertheless human infection is very rare (200 cases a year,
no official deads by EHEC, though overall cases are also on
the rise). from which i draw the conclusion, that the REAL
problem is not on the farmers side, but much more a question
of hygienic conditions in the slaughterhouses. (which is no
excuse for the farmer to fulfill his part of prevention).
for comparion: price per kilogramm meat: 1,90 dollar, price
per kg barley: 90 cents.
>Fred Owens, a ruminant researcher at Optimum Quality Grains
>in Des Moines, Iowa was quoted as saying, "I think people in
>feed lots are going to be hesitant to institute a change" in
>cattle diet, citing logistical problems, such as having to
>transport and store large quantities of hay, as well as a
>potential drop in market value should the cows' weight fall
>while on hay.
that's what i do also fear, owens seems to be the more practicing
type of researcher..
***************
klaus wiegand
Landwirtschaftl. Untersuchungs- u. Forschungsanstalt
(LUFA, Governm. Institute for Agricult. & Environmental Research)
67346 Speyer, Obere Langgasse 40 (GERMANY)
Dept. of Seed Science, Microscopical Analysis & Plant Pathology
Internet Business : Wiegand@LUFA-SP.mhs.compuserve.com
Internet private : klaus.wiegand@t-online.de
FidoNet private : 2:2468/6700.104
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