Dumb question

[BFW]

ASRG implants don't just "put on more pound of beef." Their purpose is to help the animal to put on the same amount of pounds with less feed. In my experience "bulling" is not caused by the implants themselves but improper use or poor application of the implants by the producer.

[BFW]

ASRG implants don't just "put on more pound of beef." Their purpose is to help the animal to put on the same amount of pounds with less feed. In my experience "bulling" is not caused by the implants themselves but improper use or poor application of the implants by the producer.

[ASRG]

BFW: I was just using Synovax C. I think I was applying them right but who knows....I followed the instructions.
I did see a positive weight gain....but maybe it was just a few good years?

[ASRG]

In all probability any beef you buy in Safeway or Costco has had an implant at some time in it's life? But in reality is there any hormone left in the meat....isn't there a withdrawal period?
I've had a few very tasty tender steaks from Costco.

[rkaiser]

My apologies Jeff, if you feel like I have been crapping on you. It has been a challenge to approach our business in a consistant positive manner. Maybe it is the anger that comes through the consumer that keeps rubbing off. I haver tried to steer our employees to talk of the gifts that you have given us rather than the scourge. But when consuemrs call it "bad", how do I stand there and disagree? Especially when the information on the negative affects of feeding antibiotics and implanting cattle grows daily. You can explain it as media hysteria all you like, the tide has turned. As tides always do.
Are you still feeding ractopamine and implanting every animal in your feedlot, cause more and more feeedlots are choosing to try the more natural route these days.

Maybe my reaction to your BYOB statement did cause a bit of a stir in my blood, and now listening to your calm explaination of how the whole thing about implants and antibiotics casusing any problems is simple media hysteria, solidifies the fact that you believe your own bull shit as well.

Fair enough.

As for profit Jeff, I guarantee I am not making as much as you --- yet. LOL

And as for changing the world ASRG. Always has to start somewhere. If you do not want to take responsiblity for that, that is your perogative. I am encouraged by your world changing attitude on most issues by the way...LOL

[kato]

Implants don't bother me particularly, but then again we quit using them years ago. It just wasn't worth it. Just another stress added on, and no real way to know if there was enough payback to justify the fight.

Now this Ractopamine stuff is another story. I never heard of the stuff before Randy brought it up, and quite frankly, I don't like what I'm hearing.

This is one to chock up to industrial feeding practices. Back in the day when steers were fed on farms in smaller groups, a thirty pound weight difference would not have been noticed, much like the implant/no implant scenario isn't noticed by us. Over a hundred steers, it would be hard to even measure, given the differences in individual animal performance. It takes groups of thousands to be able to even measure this effect.

Bigger is not better, IMHO. It leads to problems that we'd all be better off without. It's very frustrating to see the industrial side of the beef business, be it feeding or processing, taking a top quality natural product and playing with all our futures over $30.00 a head.

[ASRG]

Randy: I'm old. Maybe I'll be leading the revolution at the old folks home! Maybe me and Horse will be like the two old guys on the muppets show!

[grassfarmer]

Agreed kato. Seems the "beef industry" want to add to
the bad news thread. Sitting here with likely the
highest cattle beef prices on record just around the
corner but build on a delicate platform of whether the
consumer will spend the money to buy the higher
priced beef or whether they will cut consumption
instead. And the "industry" compromises the whole
thing with what could be a huge consumer confidence
issue just waiting to explode. The info is out there on
the internet - it only takes a few curious reporters to
write alarming articles in the media and consumption
could be hit substantially.
It is just another way to back the commodity sector
into a corner. Implanting already limits where you can
export to. Using these beta-antagonists that are
banned in something like 160 countries just further
keeps beef captive on this continent.
Short term thinking of the worst kind but maybe it is
inevitable with the fragmented nature of the
commodity beef sector?

[smcgrath76]

I think the issue comes down to need vs. want. What people "need" is a
source of protein at the lowest cost. What people want is a specific eating
experience, and some want an experience beyond just being tasty/tender which
may or may not include social activism, hormone free, local, etc. The first
"need" is easily filled by tofu and other plant proteins, chicken, fish,
etc. The second requires asking people what they want, listening, market
positioning, and producing to specifics. We have to be one of the few
industries in the world that battles down the lowest common denominator
rather than serving that customer. The end consumer is the only source of
new money into the beef industry.
Science tells us how things work, but it doesn't tell us if we should do it
or not.

[cottonpicken]

Thanks for all the info.