- McSpotlight -

Just a point to consider.

In Reply to: very intriguing posted by Tracy on August 20, 1999 at 11:28:56:

: What you say is very intriguing, Shane. Can you tell us why in particular we should be concerned that old or ill dairy cattle may end up in McDonald's hamburgers? It would also be interesting to hear more about your dairy farm, its size, the conditions the animals are kept in, etc. Thanks for sharing with us.

Our farm has just recently joined in a co-op with two other farms that neighbor us. The total land area of our own operation is 300 acres of irrigated land. We try to grow all our own feed but rarely are able to keep up. We grow afalfa (hay), wild peas and corn for feed. The total co-op now has approx. 700 head and it's steadly growing.
We are able to montior the production of each cow by way of a computerized ID tag on each cows ear. As you know each cow will start to drop in production of milk after a certain age or due to poor health
and at that point she is sold off. We take excellent care of the animals and do everything we can to ensure good health and max. output.
(This is our living). We are checked on a regular basis by the government to ensure that the hormones we feed them do not show up in the product. Of course we keep an honest and clean operation but these guys that do the testing and checking are known to "overlook" problems when they are given "gifts".
As far as where the cow goes after we have used her until she is no longer profitable to us...a bull truck picks them up. The driver can fit approx. 55 cows in the trailer and he will stop by a few farms until he is full. Our cows have lived on a lot for years and they are not good high quality range feed beef. They taste good only as hamburger, rarely could she be used for much more. As far as saying are they specifically McDonalds hamburger...this I could not say. But the plant they end up at recieves hundreds of dairy cows weekly and they do sell through a broker to McDonalds.
A cow that has been pumped with things that do not come from its natural food just does not produce healthy beef, they are raised only for one thing and that is milk production and that is all. I dont know how much you all know about calving a dairy cow as compared to calving range cows but do a little reasearch on that one and you will see how the dairy cow of this day and age has been genitically altered so that it can't even give birth with out the help of man...the cows have been screwed up over the years and I personally would not eat them as beef.
Range beef is able to calve themselves with little or no help from man.
Just a point to consider.
Sorry for my lack of detailed information, I will attend state university in a few weeks and study agiculture for 4 years then I will be able to provide a more articulate answer...I guess that's theory anyway. lol
You all enjoy your weekends
Shane

Follow Ups:

• Thanks Tracy me uk August 23 1999 (0)