Chewing The Cud

A video is released displaying the treatment of cattle. First, the infamous “mad cow” and now the downer cows at a California packing plant. Although the videos don’t depict an accurate picture of typical animal handling practices followed by cattle ranchers, feedlots, and processors, these videos cause a fuss in the media that influence consumer perception and affect the reputation of the beef cattle industry.

With the media in an uproar, it seems the animal rights activists take advantage of the beef industry’s downfall with sensationalism. A perfect example is Ingrid Newkirk, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) cofounder and president. Newkirk appeared on a very unlikely place for a serious animal rights activist, Comedy Central.

Activist Tactics

Upon being interviewed on the The Colbert Report, Newkirk told reporters, “Because we’re so greedy in this country, we feed livestock more grain now than ever before to make them fat so we can have more meat.”

A contradiction perhaps?

Duane Wulf, professor of meat science at South Dakota State University, certainly think so.

“Newkirk makes an uniformed comment with this statement,” said Wulf, who has been on faculty at SDSU since 1999. “Saying that we feed more grain than ever before is simply a false statement, and the feed that livestock consume is primarily used for muscle production, not fat production. Furthermore, she offers no logical explanation why feeding grain to livestock is greedy.”

Of course, in her closing argument for the abolishment of animal agriculture and for the spread of vegetarianism, Newkirk had another sound byte to offer in her media interview.

“I think everyone should be a vegetarian,” said Newkirk, who has recently released nude photos of actors and actresses in her appeal to encourage the vegan and vegetarian trend. “Vegetarianism is healthier, it’s better for the environment, and of course, its kinder to the animals.”

Why is this important for cattle producers to know? With animal rights activists creating waves and influencing the headlines in the media, maintaining a high demand for beef is crucial. Producers need to be aware and take an active part in promoting their industry, before an organization like PETA spreads more lies about beef cattle production. For Dr. Duane Wulf, the thought process behind these statements is simply irrational.

“One could argue with Newkirk on those three claims,” said Wulf, a member of the American Meat Science Association (AMSA). “Whether or not you include meat in your diet has less impact on your health that including a variety of proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates, and the required minerals and vitamins, as well as adjusting total caloric intake to total calorie expenditure. Even though it’s not clear in Newkirk’s mind, ranchers truly care about their livestock. They show kindness to animals by providing them with optimal health care and a balanced diet.”

The Real Threat

While PETA represents very extreme views, a greater threat to animal agriculture may lie in the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). As one of the largest lobbying organizations in Washington D.C., HSUS confuses well-meaning citizens into donating money under the disguise that they actually help stray cats and dogs. Shockingly, HSUS doesn’t own or operate a single animal shelter. Instead, HSUS uses their $250 million budget in legislation against animal agriculture.

As far as their recent successes? On top of endorsing legislation against gestation crates in Florida and Arizona, HSUS was the culprit that released the video from the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company, causing a historical 143 million pound recall of beef from their facilities.

Obviously, animal rights activists such as HSUS and PETA hold no thoughts about slowing down their agendas to give agriculturalists a fighting chance. As they progress in their agendas down the future, a wise rancher will stay aware of their movements and react accordingly. Strong convictions and sound science are the two ways cattlemen an women will find success in the war against animal rights activists.