We’re not as different as you think…
Image from: http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/uploads/image/alg_pig_testing.jpg
We share the earth and its limited resources, breathing the same air, drinking the same water…taking the same medicine? Whether we realize it or not, animals have basic needs just as humans do. Some people, such as National Pork Board VP of Science and Technology and veterinarian Paul Sundberg argue that, "Antibiotics are an important tool for animal welfare and for animal wealth. An animal gets sick, a pig gets sick, just like a person, it may need antibiotics to get better" (Some Question Antibiotics Use In Animals).
Unfortunately, the use of antibiotics in animals sometimes becomes compromised because many animals have been placed in inhumane situations for the benefit of our society. According to class lectures and the EPA, CAFOs or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are “Agricultural operations where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. Live animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations are concentrated on a small land area” (Food Supply, Agriculture and the Environment Slide 22). With confined spaces, comes the threat and spread of disease and the seemingly urgent need for antibiotics. But in reality, does our meat and our society really need all of those antibiotics? Some people such as Story County Pork Producer Dave Moody say yes, stating, "They're [antibiotics] used to treat the sick animals, so if we don't have them, we can't treat the sick animal, so the well-being of the animal is in jeopardy if we don't have the antibiotics to be able to treat it" (Some Question Antibiotics Use In Animals). The Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Department of Agriculture on the other hand, think that meat growers need to discontinue the practice of giving animals antibiotics who do not need them (Antibiotics Risk to Humans).
The remainder of this website will examine the issue of antibiotics in today’s commercially raised meat, address concerns the practice has raised for humans, in addition to explaining a major company's stance against the use of antibiotics in commercially raised meat.
Fact: What are Antibiotics?
As defined by Environment, antibiotics are "medicines that prevent or combat bacterial, fungal, or viral diseases" (Raven et al G-1).
Unfortunately, the use of antibiotics in animals sometimes becomes compromised because many animals have been placed in inhumane situations for the benefit of our society. According to class lectures and the EPA, CAFOs or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are “Agricultural operations where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. Live animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations are concentrated on a small land area” (Food Supply, Agriculture and the Environment Slide 22). With confined spaces, comes the threat and spread of disease and the seemingly urgent need for antibiotics. But in reality, does our meat and our society really need all of those antibiotics? Some people such as Story County Pork Producer Dave Moody say yes, stating, "They're [antibiotics] used to treat the sick animals, so if we don't have them, we can't treat the sick animal, so the well-being of the animal is in jeopardy if we don't have the antibiotics to be able to treat it" (Some Question Antibiotics Use In Animals). The Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Department of Agriculture on the other hand, think that meat growers need to discontinue the practice of giving animals antibiotics who do not need them (Antibiotics Risk to Humans).
The remainder of this website will examine the issue of antibiotics in today’s commercially raised meat, address concerns the practice has raised for humans, in addition to explaining a major company's stance against the use of antibiotics in commercially raised meat.
Fact: What are Antibiotics?
As defined by Environment, antibiotics are "medicines that prevent or combat bacterial, fungal, or viral diseases" (Raven et al G-1).
