Should antibiotics be added to animal feed?

No

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by M. L. Kiser

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While some may argue that, antibiotics in animal feed, is a necessity, there is more evidence to show that it is more harmful to animals and humans than helpful.

The practice of adding them to feed is mostly for commercial and farm use in livestock for the purpose of preventing illness in the animals, as well as, promoting growth and weight gain. Smaller farms are not quite in as much need of these, but the USDA has requirements for the larger commercial farms regarding their use.

In 1970, the USDA created at task force to look into the effects of these additives on animal and human health. As a result, three areas of concern were identified: 1) Human health hazard, 2) Animal health hazard, and 3) the antibiotics effectiveness in animals.

One of the biggest problems is that a number of studies show that these antibiotics may cause a disease resistance in the animals to things like ecoli and salmonella. Considering that what goes into the animals that we eat; goes into us, leaves us with a threat to the health of many humans which could potentially create skyrocketing health care costs, including unnecessary expense for animal health care.

There can be serious effects from the use of these antibiotics. Allergic reactions, toxic or poisonous side effects that can cause a host of medical maladies, transference of bacteria, modification of the flora in the human intestines and the infestation with resistant, disease-causing bacteria. "Human infections with medicine-resistant bacteria can possibly double the risk of serious diseases", according to a report from Greenpeace, listed on http://www.pmac.net/ AM/sea_food.html.

Many of these substances are also used in medicines created for human use. It stands to reason that if you are taking an antibiotic and eating meat or seafood that contains these same or similar antibiotics that you'll be overdosed!

Some of these antibiotics are: Bacitracin, Nifursol, Sulfanitran, Virginiamycin, Flavomycin, Nitrovin, Penicillin, Amoxicillin, among others. Several of which were banned in the United Kingdom in 1998 because of their threat to human health. They can create a resistance in the human body to many medicines that would otherwise be beneficial in the treatment of diseases. They were also banned in Denmark and Sweden.

Beneficial bacteria in our immune systems that fight against disease; these antibiotics can actually destroy beneficial bacteria in the human body, increasing your chance of many diseases.

Bactracin is not necessarily found to be harmful, especially in lower doses, but it has been found to have a diminished effect in humans who consume meat fed the antibiotic. If you are already using this medication as prescribed by your doctor, you are getting an overdose!

Penicillin, a common allergen to many humans, can create a number of problems for anyone who might be allergic. believe me, if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any form of Penicillin, you know some of its effects. The same goes for Amoxicillin and other Penicillin derivatives. Why should you suffer or be hospitalized just because you ate a meal?

Immune disorders can potentially shorten your life and definitely destroy the quality of life. We already know the hazards of many human medications with their toxins and side effects. Why should we ingest anything that can harm our immune systems, make us antibiotic resistant or even potentially kill us? We shouldn't have to. You have a right to know what you are ingesting!

Nifursol, a synthesized Nitrofuran was prohibited for use in livestock by the EU in 1995 and in the US in 2004, because of its carcinogenic effects on human health. Carcinogens have been proven to cause many types of Cancer, as well as, Alzheimer's disease, Pancreatitis, ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, immune disorders, birth defects, neurological disorders and a host of other health problems.

Virginiamycin can cause or irritate allergies. Allergic reactions can range from sneezing and runny nose to hives and even temporary paralysis. One manufacturer cautions: "Warning, Do not feed to birds producing eggs for human consumption." Yet, it is fed to chickens...chickens that you and I eat. Despite the fact that it may not be dosed after the chickens reach "market weight"; residue could still be in the meat and consumed by those who eat chicken. It is considered, as of 2000, a "feared pathogen".

Virginiamycin "use in chickens might compromise (QD) or Quinupristin-Dalfopr istin (QD), effectiveness against (VREF), Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium infections by promoting development of QD-resistant strains that can be transferred to human patients." Further, VREF infections in bone-marrow transplant patients tend to lead to a high mortality rate. Patients with (AML) or Acute Myeloid Leukemia are at a high risk for VRE infections, as are those with hematological malignancy. (Who'd have thought that eating chicken could cause such serious problems?)

The list of side effects and sometimes fatal consequences of the use of these Antibiotics in animal feed goes on and on and there is a ton of research out there to back it all up.

There are other ways of controlling disease, both in humans and in animals. These antibiotics that are so potentially harmful should not be allowed in our food supply, but they are. They should be banned, worldwide.

One alternative to these hazardous antibiotics are "Probiotics", live microbe or bacterial cultures. When fed to newborn livestock, they can help to encourage an intestinal flora that can prevent pathogenic bacteria. Some cultures have proven to prevent salmonella in baby chicks.

Immune modulators are another alternative as they can enhance the immune system and ward off disease.

Linoleic Acid has produced "T" cells in test animals and can boost the immune system of animals to which it is fed.

Minerals like zinc, carnitine and amino acids can improve the growth of newborn and smaller animals.

Herbs like wheatgrass, garlic and oregano have shown to increase growth.

Homeopathic solutions can also boost the immune systems of animals, as well as, humans.

These and many other solutions can be found in an article on alternative animal husbandry methods: http://fri.wisc.edu/ briefs/antibiot.pdf. I urge you to read it, especially if you are a farmer who is currently giving chemical antibiotics to your livestock and poultry.

In the end, it's a change that can reap the same or similar results without the hazards and fatal side effects to your animals, as well as, humans who consume the meat.

We must all take a stand against these chemical killers before it is too late. Create petitions; write letters make phone calls to your legislators, to congress. Put your petitions on the web so that we can all sign them and once we get these toxins off of the market and out of our diets; we'll all breathe a little easier and perhaps live longer, healthier lives.

Sources:

http://www.pmac.net/ AM/sea_food.html

http://www.fda.gov/d ownloads/AnimalVeter inary/DevelopmentApp rovalProcess/Environ mentalAssessments/UC M071934.pdf

http://www.twnside.o rg.sg/title/khor-cn. htm

http://jas.fass.org/ cgi/content/abstract /46/5/1360

http://news.bbc.co.u k/2/hi/europe/234985 .stm

http://www.cgdev.org /content/article/det ail/1422307/

http://pubget.com/pa per/17619536?title=N ifuroxazide-induced+ acute+pancreatitis%3 A+a+new+side-effect+ for+an+old+drug%3F

http://www2.mst.dk/u dgiv/publications/20 02/87-7944-971-9/pdf /87-7944-972-7.pdf

http://books.nap.edu /openbook.php?isbn=0 309054346&page=6 9

http://www3.intersci ence.wiley.com/journ al/118775119/abstrac t

http://fri.wisc.edu/ briefs/antibiot.pdf

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