Mad Cow Pet Food? | Pets and Animals

By SusanThixton
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Word Count: 355

The Salt Lake Tribune recently published an article warning livestock owners not to feed "cheap pet food to livestock". "Utah's state veterinarian is warning ranchers to avoid giving inexpensive pet food to their herds. Earl Rogers says most pet food has ingredients that could help spread an illness in livestock called BSE. It's against state and federal law to give it to cattle." BSE is mad cow disease.

Now, even though pet food manufacturers adamantly deny using any inferior grade of meat in pet foods - this article is more than proof to me. Pet food ingredients 'meat and bone meal', 'meat meal', 'animal digest', and ''by-products' (in any variation) - by AAFCO definition - contain meat ingredients that can be rejected for use in human food. It has been rumored for many years that the above ingredients can contain what is known as the Four D's - dead, diseased, drugged, and dying animals.

At a USDA meat processing facility - cattle enter the facility and are put in a holding pen for a 24 hour period before being processed. Any animals that are 'down' - meaning they cannot stand - are rejected for use as human food. The concern for human food is that the animal is down because of BSE (mad cow disease) - and all downed animals are supposed to be tested for the disease - again, the intention of not allowing the downed animal into the human food chain is to prevent BSE spreading to humans. The animal would be properly destroyed if shown BSE positive and not put into any food including pet food. That is if it was tested.

State Veterinarians, the USDA, and the FDA are well aware of the possibility of spreading mad cow disease to cattle from eating pet food. Andthey are well aware that pets are eating potentially contaminated pet foods. Mad cow disease has already crossed species to cats and minks around the world. Please avoid feeding your pet foods and treats that use meat and bone meal, meat meal, animal digest, and by-products.

About the Author

dog and cat food, cat food, dog food Learn the 'truth' about dog and cat food - go to www.TruthAboutPetFood.com. Sign up for the free dog and cat food newsletter and subscribe to Petsumer Report. Know what your dog and cat is eating to keep them safe!

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