Mad cow disease is a red flag that exposes the deadly flaws employed by our broken food system. Critics are stating the apparent case of mad cow disease discovered in the United States is the result of a flawed industrialized food system. Critics say there isn't enough enforcement of the ban of the use of dead ruminants--sheep, goats and cows--in feed intended for live animals, the tests are lacking and that cows are still feeding on their own kind. Cattle also are potentially exposed to tainted feed through chickens, which feast on cow remnants in their own feed and are then incorporated into feed for bovines. Calves are separated from their mothers and fed a "milk replacer," which often contains spray-dried, red blood cells from cows. This is done to save dairy cows' milk for human consumption. Other experts believe that this scare will cost the beef industry $5 billion. It will take time to reclaim closed foreign markets, which purchase about 10 percent of U.S. beef.
Seattle Post December 25, 2003