Government reports reveal disease, dwarfism, birth troubles in livestock are suddenly increasing!
What has gone wrong with our livestock?
What is it doing to our food?
Your health is at stake! Read the astounding facts.
CATTLEMEN and poultry men have now been told by government reports that there is something drastically wrong with the livestock industry. Within a few years it will affect our food supply.
Troubles are reaching epidemic proportions in many areas — in spite of medical science, mechanization and feed additives.
The Official Statistics
During the last few years we have been shocked by many news releases and government reports that cast a pall of gloom over the whole livestock picture. Some people have tried to ignore these troubles and hope they would go away. Not so! Livestock losses have reached tragic proportions no one even dared dream of twenty years ago.
"Animal diseases are on the loose, EXPLODING throughout the world," admits the Los Angeles Times. An "overeating disease in sheep, enterotoxemia, is now costing farmers an estimated $10,000,000 a year in sheep losses. The disease is triggered by a diet of rich feed . . . which sets up rapid multiplication of the disease organism" (Press-Enterprise).
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Bob Taylor Photo
This prize-winning bull makes a fine
impression in the show ring.
But cattlemen are now learning that his
type of blocky build promotes dwarfism.
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Cattle are also hard hit by varied destroyers. From the Science page of TIME magazine comes this report concerning the three leading beef breeds:
"Cattle breeders are in a fluster about dwarf calves, which are being born in ever-increasing numbers in the U.S. and Canada. Some unfortunate herds have produced 12% [dwarfs]. Considerably less than 12% can bankrupt a cattleman. Cattle experts believe the epidemic of dwarfism may be a result of breeding beef cattle for squat, spraddle-legged, 'blocky' figures."
Most people who live in towns or large cities haven't been conscious of what's happening on the farms of our nation. Two decades ago dwarfism was a rarity. Today it is widespread among Shorthorn, Aberdeen Angus, and Hereford herds. Dwarfs rarely reach slaughtering age. When they do, their inferior meat is fit only for hamburger. The modern dwarf is a degenerate freak. It is NOT small by natural heredity like the superior quality Dexter and Brittany cattle, Shetland ponies, and bantam chickens.
A leading cause of losses in commercial dairy herds is Bang's disease, or infectious abortion, which is just as destructive as dwarfism. The disease is increasing in spite of liberal use of "miracle drugs."
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Mastitis is also one of the most plaguing troubles that many dairymen have to battle continuously.
To go with all the old troubles and diseases our cattle have had for ten or fifteen years, new ones are cropping up all the time.
Bluetongue, blackleg, hoof-and-mouth disease, "lepto, " "cow asthma," rabies, anaplasmosis, and now vibriosis (which causes sterility) are already too prevalent for comfort. In many herds the disease-caused mortality rate of new-born animals is 20 to 40%. This can mean disaster.
Dangerous to Humans
Not only are these diseases a major threat to the farm economy, they are also endangering the health of the consumers! Notice:
"Of the 200 or more infectious diseases that affect animals, upward of 100 (fully half) can be passed to humans, Dr. Steele [U.S. Public Health Service veterinarian] said" (The Denver Post, April 8, 1959).
Diseases and dwarfism are not alone in destroying our livestock. Many cows, especially in the highly competitive commercial dairy herds, have become too weak to give natural birth. This situation has developed in just the last few years. Fifteen years ago — almost unheard of. Today — fully half the calves in many herds have to be forcibly extracted, causing great damage — sometimes even death — to the cow, and many times bringing death to the calf. Although increasing rapidly, this problem is rarely reported, since it is not a "disease."
Not only are the varied losses heavy, but they are increasing!
"Virus diseases of cattle are increasing in the United States.
"Before the outbreaks in the past 13 years (since 1946), the United States was singularly free of virus disease of any consequence in cattle.
"Recent changes in handling animals . . . may have upset the NATURAL BALANCE!" California Farmer, Oct. 1959. (Emphasis ours throughout article)
Take note of the surprising warning that the farmer's own methods of animal husbandry may be responsible for his grief!
All these major losses — diseases, dwarfism, and birth difficulties — are increasing so rapidly that at the present rate they could soon bankrupt the whole commercial livestock industry. Some producers are already on the verge of bankruptcy, and in a few tragic cases, farmers have lost every animal to disease.
The total loss in all livestock, including poultry, is astounding. From Washington, D.C., AP reported in 1958:
"Even in this day of miracle drugs and scientific advances, the nation loses more than $2,000,000,000 a year through livestock diseases and parasites.
"This staggering loss is equivalent to about 15 per cent of this year's farm income."
These troubles hit at the highest producers — the blockiest beef breeds, the milkiest dairy cows, the laying hens with faster early production. The most advanced strains within the affected breeds suffer most. Yet there are some very productive breeds that are almost untouched by any of these ailments. Some farmers almost never have livestock losses — they always show a profit. Why this difference?
Why should Shorthorns, Herefords, Aberdeen Angus, Holstein-Friesians, Guernseys have greater onslaughts of trouble than Brown Swiss, Jerseys, and Devons? Why are there such differences in losses from herd to herd even within the same breed? And why should Scotch Highlanders, Brahmans, Galloways, Dexters, and others almost never have troubles of any sort, and consistently return a profit to their owners — and health to the consumer? Why is it that some commercial dairymen can count on only five or six years of production from a cow while other very productive milk cows can be expected to produce well until they are fifteen or more years old? Why is it that most commercial laying hens produce for only one year, while many back-yard flocks, that produce almost as well, are still going strong when six or eight years old?
Is there a logical answer to these perplexing problems? Yes, there is. And it is of vital concern to all because it concerns the source of your health.
Many popular misconceptions contribute to man's mismanagement of his livestock. It is assumed that man has many inalienable rights, and no responsibility to God or neighbor — that the world owes us a living — that the majority is always right — that if it makes more money, that makes it better — that cattle have to be bigger to be better — that an idea has to be popularly accepted to be good. These errors are so strongly implanted in the minds of the masses — so taken for granted — that even when a man starts repenting and trying to obey God, he may still unknowingly continue ruining the health of his livestock and the consumer — besides wrecking his economy.
It is high time we study the principles that govern animal husbandry and avert disaster. You can change YOUR methods so that you shall have no need for worry! And the consumer can then eat your products without misgivings.
Remember, noted veterinarians recognize that methods of animal husbandry may have upset the natural balance and thus caused these problems. What are the principles involved? Did you know that your Bible has something to say about this very problem?