Do you really know what’s in your food? Think again.
Shannon Carpenter pd. 3
Biology: Issues in Food- Growth Hormones
Do you really know what’s in your food? Think again.
Did you know that in 2005, over 32.5 million cattle were butchered to provide beef for the U.S. and that about two thirds of that number were injected with growth hormones to speed up they’re growth rate? It has been an issue for quite some time now on debating whether or not growth hormones are an advantage in beef and milk production or a huge failure to keep our food safe and overall the consumers who purchase this hormone-exosed food safe.
I believe that using growth hormones in the production of beef and milk is not worth all of the risks that come attached to it. Studies show that the exposure to growth hormones in beef could put Americans at risk for infertility and/or women who eat beef regularly are more likely to have boys who grow up to have lower-than-normal sperm counts. Not only are humans affected, but the animals treated with these hormones are prone to tremendous stress which could cause the cow to loose weight, become infertile, and be infected by a disease more easily. When a cow gets a disease such as mastitis, the farmer must give the cow antibiotics to help treat it which results in antibiotic residues in milk. This suggests the idea, that humans can develop health problems from drinking that milk as well as an antibiotic resistance amongst bacteria in the person’s body. Hormone residues in cow manure can also be a disadvantage in the production of milk and beef. Apart from the cow manure changing the reproductive capacity and gender of fish, there are also scares of the hormones finding their way back into our foods.
Although I believe growth hormones mostly cause bad effects on us, animals, and our ecosystem, there are a few beneficial reasons why we use growth hormones. Milk and beef producers usually inject their cattle with hormones such as rBGH (Posilac) because they help improve the quality of the meat by decreasing the fat content and increasing the creation of lean meat. Growth hormones can also increase feed efficiency in cows which therefore allows more growth in an animal with less feed. Last but not least, these hormones reduce the prices for consumers and producers.
In conclusion, I believe using growth hormones in cattle for the production of beef and milk is not worth the risks that come along with it. If you agree with me on this issue, there are many ways to take a stand and protect yourself but also decrease the amount of animals who must go through the process of growth hormones. One way in particular is to buy from your local dairy and beef farmers who don’t use growth hormones in they’re production of foods; this alternative is also sometimes cheaper in the long run.
Resources:
http://www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Growth_Hormones_in_Food#How_growth_hormones_boost_production
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2004-04-01-veal_x.htm
http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/john.rose/rbgh.html
http://cahi-icsa.ca/pdf/Beef-Hormones-Factsheet.pdf
http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormones/
http://www.beefmyths.org/beefmyths/cattlegrowthhormones/
March 18th, 2009 at 5:35 am
I thought your article was well organized. It provided me enough information to understand what is bad; which we may know a little about, but you extended it. You also gave enough positive information; which probably is true, but I do agree with you. I think that this is wrong and even though there are good things that come out of it we have to factor in that there are more cons then pros. Your conclusion was well done. I like how you gave the reader a alternative by getting milk from local people. You could of gave the reader more information of pros and cons, but I thought you gave enough to understand what is going on. Other wise well done.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I think your article is very informational. There are a lot of facts and you did mention both the goods and bads of the sides. I know from my parents previous milking hobby that sometimes, dairy farmers do not have many choices. When the market wants milk, they want it then and there. Using these shots is a way to fill those requirements. So in my opinion, it’s not a bad thing, its just getting the job done. I think your article was really great and i am sure you have sparked some interest in others.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:50 am
I think you portrayed your opinions and argued your side very well. I agree with your opinion that adding growth hormones isn’t worth it. You factored in the positive parts of the growth hormones but showed that they are small compared to the cons of the issue. Why would anyone want to eat something that could cause them to become infertile? Well written.
March 27th, 2009 at 6:00 am
I think that your article was very interesting. I really enjoyed learning about all the hormones that are put into cows! I had no idea how bad they were for you and I agree that we should think about not injecting hormones into our animals because it is not worth the risk that it will cause.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Mia,
Thanks for commenting on my essay! I’m glad that you agree with me on the issue that giving growth hormones to animals is unhealthy and not safe for them or us. Thanks again for enjoying my article. Next time I will try to use some of your suggestions for my next essay.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Mesha,
I’m glad my essay gave you a better understanding of growth hormones and how they affect us and the animals they are used on, and that you agree with me on this topic. Thanks again for commenting on my essay!
March 27th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Megan,
Thanks for agreeing with me on the opinion that growth hormones should not be used due to the overpowering cons versus the pros. I’m glad you read my essay and thought that it was “well written”. Thanks again!
March 27th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Kelsey,
Even though you might not agree with me on this issue, I’m glad you read my essay. I hope my essay at least let you stop and think about the negative effects of growth hormones when they are used. But, I respect your beliefs on the subject. Thanks again!