Tag Archives: Meat

Ask a Farmer: Are feedlot cattle fed antibiotics and hormones?


An example of a cattle feed supplement providing necessary minerals

Due to a large amount of criticism and misrepresentation of the facts, many people have expressed mixed ideas about what occurs in beef production. I have spent a large portion of my life getting well acquainted with all stages of beef cattle production and have a few thoughts and opinions to share.

Recently, I have started a series of posts describing my experience with feedlot cattle and am addressing your concerns about feedlot cattle, what they eat, if feeding corn harms them, and how feedlots impact the environment.

Today, I will address more about what these cattle are fed and how they are handled, using my experience as a guide.

Are feedlot cattle given feed additives?

We’ve been studying cattle diseases for quite some time and still have a lot to learn

Nutrients are often added to the feedlot cattle ration in micro amounts to provide a balanced diet- often referred to as feed additives. These additives often include vitamins and minerals required to balance the animal’s diet.

Other feed additives are used to enhance growth and promote health. The growth enhancers act at the cellular level to promote efficiency by partitioning energy to muscle tissue growth rather than deposition of fat. The health promoters work by improving efficiency of rumen microbes that digest the feeds and promote a healthy digestive tract. These are not similar to antibiotics used in human populations and do not necessarily act as materials working on the immune system.

These additives are used to make more efficient use of energy from feeds and are completely metabolized in the animal’s digestive tract, leaving no residues in the meat products. If residues were found, the product would not be allowed in the food system.

How often are cattle given antibiotics in a feedlot?

Cattle are treated for sickness no matter the stage of production or type of farm – conventional, organic, or natural. Cattle in feedlots are looked after on a daily basis. Each and every day someone rides through the pens and looks at each animal individually. Animals that show signs of sickness (usually respiratory) were brought to the veterinary hospital where a rectal temperature was taken. If the animal had a high temperature or showed significant signs of illness, they were given antibiotics as prescribed by the veterinarians protocols.

Medicated feed in the bunk for cattle that were having health problems

Sometimes entire groups of animals are given a treatment with antibiotics or other medicines. When cattle entering the feedlot are known to be stressed, have weakened immune systems, come from a mixed background like an auction barn, or other factors that may cause them to become ill, they are considered high-risk. These cattle would be handled delicately when arriving at the feedlot. They would transition to higher-energy feeds slower and receive more forage. If 10% or more of the cattle became sick within a week, they were considered for treatment for the entire group. This often heads off any major sickness, and actually reduces the amount of sickness and antibiotics that must be given later on.

Janeal Yancey, meat scientist and mom from Arkansas, has addressed these concerns about antibiotics and residues in the meat supply. Be sure to stop by her blog and send her a message for more information on the topics.

Are feedlot cattle given hormones?

Feedlot cattle are often given a hormone implant to promote feed efficiency. These are synthetic hormones of the same chemical structure and are of minimal amounts when compared to naturally produced hormones already in the animal’s body. The implants are given in a pellet form, inserted under the skin in the ear so there is no concern for muscle tissue damage or residues. They promote efficiency on the cellular level by promoting learn muscle growth and less fat deposition.

Despite consumer concerns over the use of hormones, there is no threat to meat safety. Hormone implant use has decreased over the last few years and has become more precise in timing and utilization. Nebraska cattle feeder and foodie, discusses hormones and how they are used in her feedlot cattle on her blog.

As all of this happens, we always keep in mind that we are producing beef for families who want safe food

After listening to the concerns and question from many folks, I realize modern food production can be a scary thing. I have spent a large amount of time studying subjects like nutrition and how these products work and still have so much to learn. Discussing these subjects in detail takes a large amount of time and effort.

I am continuing to learn and do understand that there is a time and a place for everything. As we continue to learn and listen, we will also find that use of all technology is not always best, but that does not mean it should be banned. We should embrace the concept of technology and science in food production and learn how it can best be applied to every different situation.

If you have more questions about cattle feedlots, pleases leave them in the comments section below or us the Ask a Farmer tab at the top of the page.

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Ask a Farmer: Cattle Feedlots and the Environment


cattle feedlot CAFO feed millI had an interesting conversation with a young woman from a Journalism class a few weeks ago who asked to interview me about Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) in livestock production, specifically environmental concerns. A Meat Science professor had recommended me since I have spent most of my life acquainted with cattle feeding – my family took care of more than 12,000 head of cattle per year and sent most to the feedlots of Texas and Oklahoma – and I have worked for the two largest cattle feeding companies in the country.

What impact do CAFOs have on the environment?

Government has a heavy role in AFO/CAFOs for the purpose of environmental regulations. AFOs must prevent any air or water pollution, no discharge (run off) is allowed, buffer zones must be observed, and nutrient management plans must be specified. View this guide from Missouri Department of Natural Resources for more information on guidelines and classification of AFOs.

Texas cattle feedlot environment

Aerial view of a cattle feedlot where I worked in Texas

These regulations make sense because we (farmers) want to be good stewards of the land and our resources. By having guidelines as a place to start on how to manage the impact of having so many animals in one place, and it defines a level of accountability for everyone across the board. From a small, family AFO to the largest operation, we are all held accountable by the same standard when it comes to environmental impact.

Sometimes folks try to take shortcuts or slack on following these guidelines. They leave a black eye for the rest of the industry because in today’s world of internet communication and food conversations, news spreads quickly without being fact-checked and one bad apple ruins the entire bunch. Most often, these issues are addressed by regulation enforcers and the problem corrected.

How do cattle feedlots address environmental concerns?

Nutrient management is a large part of any CAFO. When there are large numbers of animals in a concentrated area, a large amount of nutrients – feed, dust, water, manure – will be present. This is the same for concentrated populations of people, but we do not realize all of the planning that takes place to manage our own waste in landfills and sewage treatment.

texas cattle feedlot dust CAFO environmentDust - Most cattle feedlots are in more arid regions of the country. This means that manure, mud, and dirt dry out quickly. This is great for the cattle as far as pen conditions and heat stress goes, but it creates an issue with dust. If you have ever been on the High Plains when high winds kick up, you will learn that dirt can become airborne from any exposed surface (pretty much everywhere). Dust issues are a concern when feedlots are near major roadways or towns. Feedlots control dust problems by regularly cleaning pens, scraping any loose mud/dirt out of the pens on a regular schedule, minimizing water collection areas, and using water sprinklers to keep loose dirt moist.

Texas cattle feedlot water CAFO environmentWater - Absolutely no water discharge ran off the premises in the feedlots where I worked. Feedlots are not built on flood-prone areas, for obvious reasons. All water is collected in a collection pond, were solids will settled and water can be used for crop irrigation on neighboring fields. A large amount of planning goes into building a feedlot. Engineers plan the slopes of all the pens, alleys, and waterways so that water will collect in one central point. There is a buffer around the feedlot making sure that there is not water that runs off during a rainstorm.

Texas cattle feedlot manure environment CAFOManure - When there are several thousand animals in a concentrated area, they produce tons of manure. This manure is cleaned from pens on a regular schedule and more often when needed. In many feedlots, pens are built with a raised mound, giving the cattle a dry place to bed down when rainstorms pass or during the messy parts of winter. Being in arid regions allows moisture to dry quickly, so any mud created usually does not last long. The manure is collected, composted, and usually sold to local farmers who apply it as organic fertilizer to their fields.

There are other environmental impacts controlled by regulations (air quality, noise, smell), but these above are the main areas where I have experience. The same goes for poultry, pork, and other livestock farms classified as CAFOs. If you want to learn more, many NRCS and USDA websites contain detailed information.

Bottom line, CAFOs are a method of livestock production that has developed because of market and supply demand. We have a growing global population and decreased amount of land available for food production. For those who cannot afford locally sourced, small-scale, niche food production larger scale food production provides viable options.

Producers of animals on a larger scale are concerned about minimizing their impact on the environment and take steps daily to achieve that. The majority of us exceed expectations determined by the government powers-that be. We work constantly to make improvements and are always a work in progress.

What questions do you have about cattle feedlots? I’m addressing your concerns in my Ask A Farmer series. Leave a comment or use this contact form.

We do care about being stewards of our environment and resources, animal welfare and proper handling. You do not have to agree. All I ask is that you respect my opinion. If you have concerns about how food is produced in CAFOs systems, take time to approach the conversation with an open mind, ask questions of someone with hands-on experience, and learn more about it.

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Ask A Farmer: Does feeding corn harm cattle?


What is a Factory Farm? Does feeding cattle corn harm them? Why are cattle finished in feedlots? These are a few of the questions I often receive when discussing the beef we eat and how cattle are raised. During the next few posts we will address a few of these concerns.

Do cattle eat grass or grain?

cattle grazing pasture bermuda grass

Cows grazing high-quality pasture is a common practice on cow-calf farms

Most all beef cattle are born and raised on pastures where their diet consists primarily of grasses, legumes, and other forages. These feeds are high in fiber and lower in digestibility of nutrients. The stomach of cattle is made of different compartments and is able to digest these fibrous materials. When cattle on pasture need more energy than can be obtained from forages, the farmers may feed them supplemental feeds that come from a number or sources, including concentrates that will be explained below.

Do farmers feed cattle corn?

After cattle are weaned (approximately 7-8 months of age, shortly before puberty), most continue to receive forages as a large portion of their diet. This is important to help their stomach continue to grow and develop properly. However, forages do not provide the high amount of digestible energy these cattle need to grow quickly. Farmers are able to utilize a number of feeds that are higher in digestible energy and lower in fiber – we refer to these as concentrates.

cattle feed bunk corn grains

Cattle feed bunks at the Winrock Stocker pens

The concentrates feeds can include cereal grains (corn, wheat, oats, barley, sorghum), the by-products of milling or processing these grains (soybean meal, cottonseed meal. peanut meal), or by-products of ethanol or alcohol production (distillers grains). These feeds are more efficient sources of energy for the stomach in cattle, in turn making the animal more efficient in obtaining energy for growth, reproduction, or weight gain.

Can eating grass make cattle sick?

cattle eating corn grazing field pasture

Mike Haley’s cows are choosing to eat corn on the edge of the field

Grazing cattle on forages in the pastures isn’t a cure-all, fix-all when it comes to cattle health. My friend Jesse Bussard just finished her studies at the University of Kentucky studying fescue grazing in cattle. She has written on many topics where forages can threaten cattle health. Some plants are poisonous to cattle, others contain toxic endophytes or chemicals called gossypol that can be detrimental to cattle health. There are concerns for mineral imbalance that causes grass tetany or even bloat when forages are lush and green. Grazing pastures are more dependent on rainfall in periods of drought (compared to stored feeds). This year we’ve seen many instances of toxicity in plants due to nitrates that build up in the plant during drought, and surge into the plant when moisture arrives, causing toxicity problems in cattle (prussic acid), even though these are natural compounds. During any growing season we also have concerns of pests, like army worms, that can wipe out entire pastures. When these conditions occur, despite great management by farmers, it is important to have other feeds, like grains, available to feed cattle.

Does feeding corn harm or kill cattle?

growing corn cattle food silage

Corn stalks in the field

This is a claim I hear by many folks. Feeding cattle corn or other cereal grains, or their by-products does not kill the animal. Feeding these grains as 100% of the diet will give the animal an upset stomach, just like if you sat down and ate an entire box of corn flakes.

In the stomach compartment of cattle called the rumen, there are microbes that digest foods into essential nutrients that the digestive system can utilize as building blocks for body requirements. Forages and concentrates contain a source of energy in the form of two different sugars - cellulose in forages and starch in concentrates.

How do cattle digest grains like corn?

The microbes in the rumen of a cow eating only forages are adapted to digesting primarily cellulose. IF this animal were to ingest a large amount of starch containing feeds (much like you eating a large amount of candy on Halloween) it would be a shock to the system. However, the microbes in the stomach have the ability to shift and adapt to digesting starch as a portion of the diet. Given an adjustment period – switching the animal’s diet from primarily forages to concentrates – the microbe population adjusts and the animal is able to utilize that energy more efficiently on a diet that includes high-energy feeds like cereal grains.

cattle digestion forages corn

Cattle digest cellulose from forages into fatty acids for building blocks

When this switch in diet is done rapidly, the pH (acid) of the rumen is disrupted, causing a condition called acidosis. This may be what many people refer to when claiming that feeding cattle corn makes them sick. This is something that cattle farmers try to avoid, but when it does occur, acidosis can be corrected by adding more forage to the diet and paying close attention to the transition in diet. Corn does not make up 100% of the diet. The diet of cattle is usually a mixture of many feeds, mixed in the correct proportions to give the animal what it needs for its stage of growth or production.

cattle digestion grain corn

Cattle digest starches from grains into fatty acid building blocks

So to wrap it all up, yes cattle do eat corn, many other cereal grains. They love these feeds [video]. Don’t believe me? They will run you over for it. These feeds are good for them because they are a great source of digestible energy for cattle growth, reproduction, weight gain, and any other metabolic processes.

For the record, I love beef from both grass- and grain-finished cattle. Each has its unique qualities in production and taste and I am so grateful for the opportunity of choice between the two. Choose what fits best for you, but don’t hate your neighbor because he/she chooses differently. In the next blog post, I will address the topic of feeding cattle in feedlots (some refer to these as factory farms or confined animal feeding operations) using my experience working in them.

If you have more questions about what cattle eat, I encourage you to visit these blogs by farmers from across the country that I trust and look to for information, insight, and experience.

Submit your own questions via the Ask A Farmer tab on this blog!

What other questions do you have about what cows eat? Leave your comments below and I’ll include them in a later post.

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Saturday morning at Nashville Farmers Market


I grew up on a ranch where Saturday mornings were for chores and feeding the cattle. After 5 years of college, I still don’t know what to do with my Saturdays. My last trip to the Nashville Farmers Market was when my siblings came to visit on Spring Break. There wasn’t much in season then, so food available was mostly canned or early spring plants.

Today I decided to head back for a trip. I needed to go grocery shopping anyway. So I got up and went first thing this morning. Nashville obviously isn’t a town of early risers. 9 A.M. and the place was still fairly empty.

WTF? – Where’s the food, without the farmer?

There were a host of great farmers from the region. Lots of early summer vegetable available. I picked up some squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers. I also picked up some peaches. Gotta have something sweet once in a while! I’ll be eating extra fresh and local this week!

There was only one farmer there with meat products – beef, pork and chicken. We talked for a moment and gave me a flyer. His beef is grass-fed, grass-finished, dry-aged, certified natural. Pork advertised as pastured. Chicken true free-range and french label rouge style. You can see more about his products at the Walnut Hills Farm website.

Food Safety is always important

It’s great to have fresh foods from local farmers, organic, natural, or conventional. No matter the source of your food, its important to consider food safety.

Keep your produce safe with these tips:

  • Before and after preparing fresh produce, wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap.
  • Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking. We don’t recommend washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes.
  • Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it first. Any bacteria present on the outside of items like melons can be transferred to the inside when you cut or peel them.
  • Be sure to refrigerate cut or peeled fruits and vegetables within two hours after preparation.
Tips for food safety of juices, dairy, egg, and meat products are available from FoodSafety.gov. Pathogens like E.coli aren’t prejudice and can show up on any food if not handled and prepared properly.

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After picking up my veggies and talking to the meat farmer, I headed inside the market area for an awesome breakfast wrap from one of the local vendors – 2 eggs, ham, red onions, bell pepper, tomato, and tobasco sauce. Mmm… the world was right again!

Do you have a favorite local farmers market? What do you pick up there and how often do you visit?

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