USDA sued over 'downer' cow rules

[flashl]

Source: AP

LOS ANGELES - The Humane Society sued the federal government Wednesday over what it said is a legal loophole that allows sick or crippled cattle, called "downers," into the food supply

A U.S. Department of Agriculture rule change made in July allows some downer cows into the food supply, the Humane Society of the United States alleges in its lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

In 2004, the USDA tightened regulations to prohibit the slaughter of all "downer" cows — animals that cannot stand — after a case of mad cow disease was discovered in Washington state. The lawsuit alleges that under last year's change, cows that fell down after an initial veterinarian inspection but appeared otherwise healthy were allowed to be slaughtered.

The lawsuit asks the USDA to close the loophole to protect consumers and ensure the humane treatment of animals.

AP

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080227/ap_on_re_us/slaughterhouse_abuse;_ylt=Aqpja.VZAFbH3C7UMS3kT7JG2ocA

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The diligence tracking down deliveries of the tainted meat in the last recall suggested to me there were concerns about downed cows in the batch.

[sam sarrha]

1. chech out this link's link's>>

http://www.maddeer.org

[flashl]

3. Before deer hunting season there were plenty of stories about blue tongue

'Action needed' over blue tongue

The EU must take immediate action in the fight against the spread of bluetongue, Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew has said.
Twenty three cattle were culled in NI last week after they were found to be infected with the disease.

Ms Gildernew said people were working very hard to keep Ireland disease free.

She said: "European regulations are not adequate in light of findings that blue tongue is not just transferred by the midge population."

BBC

Blue tongue is a problem with cows in the EU, but in the US its the deers.

[lonestarnot]

2. Abbra kadabra! Open say sa me!

[halobeam]

4. We just went kosher

in our meats, with much investigating. I'm not a hundred percent feeling good about it, but I do feel better somewhat.

The laws have to change to protect our food supply, and I would consider this a security issue. It needs to be a MAJOR priority.

The only way to get this moving is to have a "citizen action campaign" taken to each congress member. They need to realize if they don't protect our food supply, we will vote them them out. Period. We don't have a lot of power, but this power we do have.

[flamin lib]

5. Don't flame the messenger here, but a word about downer cows.

Background: Grew up on a dirt farm in S Texas, Dad raised 7 kids on rented land. First of the neighbors to have indoor plumbing. First to have television. Only boy child in the first grade to have shoes. Raised cows, pigs and chickens for comptititon and for food.

Definition of a downer cow is one that cannot stand. Reasons include broken legs or other physical injuries suffered during transit. Lots of cows in cramped trucks negotiating traffic makes such injuries impossible to avoid. Such cattle should be checked by a vet and processed.

Cows sometimes just give up. Seriously, if they can't move for a period of time they simply lie down and will not attmept to stand. It's a big problem for a cow to get stuck in knee deep mud. They will litterally lie down and die instead of attemting to get out of the mud. Even if they are successfully pulled from the mud they sometimes won't get up. They're not terribly smart animals. Cows that are pushed to the floor of the transit truck will often give up. They should checked by a vet for other symptoms and if none are found they are processed.

There are other conditions than Mad Cow that make cattle unfit to process and some of them do not exhibit as downer cows. That's why they're supposed to checked prior to processing.

The process of putting food in the grocery store isn't pretty. Never has been, even on the small family farm with free-range chickens, all the nice organic methods and the fresh air and sunshine.