NJCubScouter 1389 Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 I don't see the relevance of whether people eat cow brains or spinal tissue. First of all, it's my understanding that the beef industry uses the remains of dairy cows in feed for other cows (mixed with grains and whatever.) I heard a congressman on the radio the other day talking about banning this practice. But if it is going on now, I strongly suspect that those who prepare the feed are a lot less particular about what cow-parts they use to feed other cows, than FuzzyBear's butcher would be in deciding what cow-parts to offer for sale to human beings. Second of all, assuming that this disease can indeed be transmitted from cows to people, what makes you think that people can only contract it by eating cow-parts that show the physical affects of the disease. I'm not trying to be alarmist, but I don't think there's any guarantee that a cow showing symptoms in its nervous system is not also "carrying" the disease in its other tissues. Keep in mind that there are diseases that can be contracted though casual contact (maybe just being breathed on) with someone who is a "carrier" of a disease and who has no symptoms of the disease at all. So I don't see how you can be sure that the "disease agent" (whatever it may be) is neatly confined to certain parts of the cow. As I said, I am not an alarmist on this. I have not stopped eating beef and don't plan to. But there's no point in pretending that there is NO risk... it's just that for me, it is one of those risks that (at this point at least) has not reached the level that would cause me to change what I do -- just like I haven't stopped driving even though people get killed in traffic accidents. Link to post Share on other sites
Glenn 10 Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Couldn't imagine life without beef. Or green onions. My wife was making some dip over Christmas that called for green onions. She asked if she should forgo them? My suggestion, no. She didn't so if I suddenly stop posting, you know why. Link to post Share on other sites
Twocubdad 665 Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 This is more about American's (or maybe the American media's) irrational view of risk. In the 10 years that Great Brittian has been dealing with madcow, there have been 130 human deaths. That's 13 deaths a year. You are at far greater danger of choking to death on your Happy Meal toy. Last year's SARs "epidemic" was the same way. A handful of deaths garnered near panic media coverage. Yet no one mentions that over 35,000 people die of the flu every year. Link to post Share on other sites
scoutingagain 20 Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 If your looking for reliable information on the health risk du jour, I have found the website at the Center for Disease Control to be a good source. You can access the site at www.cdc.gov SA Link to post Share on other sites
captainron14 11 Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Bad news, The "infected" Cow came from a herd in Alberta. DNA tests (from both US & Canada) confirmed it. Read this in the paper. If you don't like Chicken, how about the other "White meat"? Just stay away from "Head Cheese"! Link to post Share on other sites
Achilleez 10 Posted January 8, 2004 Author Share Posted January 8, 2004 Indeed, this is quite bad news for me. I can't sell them and I have to keep feeding them. Don't worry, I won't lose the farm; I operate a second business recycling pallets. I know some friends in deeper mud... Link to post Share on other sites
Fuzzy Bear 12 Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Hot Dogs? They have gone after Hot Dogs and Hamburgers. Madness. Cow Madness. Mad Cow Madness. What next? Salt, then butter, bread, caffeine, sugar, peanut butter, margarine, onions, potatoes, catsup, mayo, pickles, red meat, fried food, grilled food, desserts, hold the McDonald's, on and on. What is left? Fruit and vegetables and fruit is suspect. Madness. Have a broccoli. It will cancel out years of abuse and neglect. Make sure it is lightly steamed for tenderness and flavor but not enough to cook out the oxidants. If we keep it up, we will become a country of slim people that live until we turn into slime, which of course, should not be consumed. Fuzzy Link to post Share on other sites
Adrianvs 10 Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 That's too bad, Achilleez. Here in Iowa, it is largely a matter of waiting for the pork prices to go up. But we have to remember that this could hurt a lot of people financially.. Link to post Share on other sites
dsteele 20 Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Twocubdad: Do not eat the happy meal toys! Sage advice from one who has been there, done that Dave Link to post Share on other sites
Big_Dog 10 Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 I guess there's always Twinkies... I've been told they are not made of anything natural, I think they're all preservatives. That should make campouts a lot easier.. let's see... 6 twinkies per kid/per meal...hmmm BD Link to post Share on other sites
mk9750 11 Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 While watching the Today Show yesterday (did that make sense?), a professor from Johns Hopkins University was trying to make the point that it is far more likely to die from choking than Mad Cow disease, even if the desease became widespread. When pressed for what precautions should be taken, after trying to say none are needed, he finally said that if you feel the need to take any precautions, you should cut back somewhat on hot dog and suasage consumption. Knowing that many of these products are somewhat indiscrimanate as to what they toss in the recipe, I can understand that. But this guy was SO, SO adamant that the danger is practically nothing, I believe him. The problem you have, Achilleez, I think, is that the potential harm to the US economy if a panic breaks out would be devastating. I'm sure that there will be some folks that suffer the consequences of descisions designed to keep panic from developing, and I'm sorry for you and others in your situation. Mark Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 I been out of England long enough to miss all the Mad Cow outbreaks. I was over there when Foot and Mouth was on the run. Many of the farmers lost entire herds and faced ruin. In some areas scout camps closed for fear of spreading the disease. We were lucky it never crossed the Irish Sea. In fact the farmers in Ireland while making a few extra pounds were sending money over to help aid the English farmers. I never eaten cow brains but have had calf brains they were poached in a beef stock and served with black butter. Many restaurants in France still have them on the menu. I wasn't that keen on them. I do like sweetbreads. But will not be eating them for a while. Eamonn Link to post Share on other sites
Achilleez 10 Posted January 9, 2004 Author Share Posted January 9, 2004 Just incase you don't really know the situation here, I will clear it up. Beleive me I know I'm an Ontario beef farmer. Please do not listen to the media on this matter, they are covering the television with things like government subsidies, improving economic conditions, improved bse testing techniques. The "government subsidies" are nothing more than a few tax breaks on feed and medicine for cattle. Doesn't do much help considering we have farmers who owe $500,000 to the bank for their farm mortgage, and have to call their retired fathers and uncles to help on the farm for no pay (a few neighbors come to mind). I'm very fortunate to have bought my farm from my father years ago so I have no debt. "Improved economic conditions" is a very vague term that doens't help our farmers at all. Yes, the Canadian dollar is going up, but that does little when you have 300 head of cattle, half of whom are over 36 months old and thus are not allowed to cross the American border (not even for pet food processing). "Improved bse testing techniques" will likely only reveal more cases of bse. Two cattle discovered in Alberta, suspected to have contracted the disease from feed. If that's true, then there a whole lot more cattle who are that same feed. People are losing their farms left and right. So many cattle to feed and no money to feed them. A fat cow worth $1200 18 months ago might get you $100 today. In the total perspective, the family farm was doomed anyway. Infact without government intervention it probably would've died long ago. The same thing happed out East in the 70's with individual fishing families who took a boat out with nets to catch fish. Now they all work in big fish processing plants and the fish are scarce from the huge boats who massively over fished the Grand Banks. In 30 years, we'll all likely work in big agriculture plants. Bse doesn't help though. Link to post Share on other sites
LovetoCamp 9 Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Start eatin'!!! Link to post Share on other sites
pdunbar 10 Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 I was raised on meat and potatoes, but no longer. Einstein once said that "man will be judged not by how he treated his fellow man but on how he treated his fellow animals". Think for yourself an GO VEGAN!! Link to post Share on other sites
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