Protein?

[cowman]

Now that the big packers can't grind up cows to feed to cows I wonder what can be done for a cheap source of protein? I guess they still grind up the old cows for pigs and chickens and I suppose they can grind up the pigs and chickens to feed the cows.
Just the other day, while out feeding the cows, an idea came to me. Why not grind up all the dead people and feed them to the cows? Now I know this might sound shocking but consider the benifits? No more wasted space for graveyards, no more natural gas wasted on cremations? Why with the right public relations we could sell it as a very environmental friendly type of thing? And as a further inducement the renders could offer say 10 cents a pound or something? I'm sure Cargill and IBP would be all for it?

[Cathy]

No thanks Cowman.
People have more deadly dieases than animal. I sure don't want my critters to get sick. Aid. Sars Hep C
Guess I like animals more than people.
Why can't we all be satisfyed with protein from grains. Natural animal food.
I am for slow growing.
The whole world is in a big rush.
That is what is going to kill us in the end

[bombay_43]

Don't be too hasty Cathy! Cowman may be on to something. Granted it may be a hard sell for some people, but this may be what is needed to appease our animal activists.(the extremists)

You know, it would work like a trade off of sorts. We eat them, then they eat us. The circle of life!

All the aids, e-coli, hepatitis, etc. that people have, would not be able to simply leach into the soil and poison our water systems.

If you can turn this one into cash, cowman, I'm with you!

(don't tell me the cattlemen aren't in dire need of help!)

[boone]

Post:as long as you seperate out the politicians and journalist, so they don't contaminate (SRM's) the rest of the less toxic parts I'm all for it.

[cakadu]

Okay - I never have liked science fiction and this would be something that would take me well beyond where I would want to go.

The only way to alleviate some of the concerns domestically and globally regarding our food supply is to NOT feed animal parts to animals - period. I realize some of the implications of this - I'm not in the rendering business so I likely don't know all of them - but it would seem to me that this our best alternative.

I feel that we need to be looking at new ways to get into the marketplace and not be so reliant on one market i.e. the U.S. In order to get into other countries, we have to quit using hormones and quit feeding animals to animals. We might be very surprised at what that does for us in terms of opening up export opportunities.

What we've been doing hasn't really been working for us, so how would it be if we tried something else?

[WoolyBear]

Why can't this meal be "incinerated to ash" and then applied as a crop fertilizer. High in Calciun and phosphorus, zinc, copper etc........ Would likely make some pretty amazing tomatoes, cucs, etc that could displace some of our imported veggies from the USA

[cowman]

Well Linda you must realize our "industry" is actually now controlled almost completely by American corporations? And they are not interested in food safety, environment, whats good for the cow/calf guy. Only one thing drives them and that is profit! They would grind up their own grandmothers to make a nickel!
Now I do agree we could change all that but it will be a struggle? Don't forget that for every animal we sell the "industry" collects $3 to further the feedlot/packer agenda. That is some serious money!
This fund can then be used to lobby the government to put up roadblocks against such things as new gen co-ops, small packers and to downplay any meaningful solutions to our current problems. Or to lobby the government to allow cheap diseased feeders into the country? Also this money can be wasted on foolish ads and frittered away on junkets to warm tropical places. Anyone who truly believes the CCA or ABP is working for the little guy, who pays the checkoff, is truly a dreamer who needs a reality check?
And to top it all off the checkoff is mandatory! Voted in by 6% of the producers(or at least $2 of it...the other buck was just a ripoff pure and simple)! I guess it is the same type of deal as Nazi Germany, where the Jews were forced to pay for the gas that killed them!

[drill7]

Check out the movie "Soylent Green"
http://www.sciflicks.com/soylent_green/