I just received my Jan./Feb 2010 issue of "Countryside and Small Stock Journal magazine". This has always been my favorite magazine as it informs on such topics as homesteading, livestock, gardening and many other items related to homesteading and self-sufficiency. This particular issue has an update on food safety with emphasis on Johne's disease. It is a very highly contagious disease. It is a must read article for all those who raise, breed and show goats and cattle. Being fairly new to raising and breeding Nigerian Dwarfs, I am ever vigilant of making sure the goats have their vaccines and wormings on schedule. The vaccine most used by goat breeder's, including myself, is Clostridium Perfringens type C and D and Tetanus- commonly known as "CD &T". After reading this article, I realize I have so much to learn.
The disease, Johne's, pronounced "yo knees", is running rampant through the America's cattle industry, 68 % of the nation's milk supply is affected. This is reported to be a 3 fold increase in the disease in just the last 6 years. The milk from these infected cows is being used daily by American consumers. That means millions of people, children and babies included, drink this milk everyday. Johne's is caused by filthy , inhumane conditions. The cows lay in their own feces spreading it one to another. It is nearly impossible to disinfect a cow's udder in such a filthy environment. The milk, feces, and bacteria is pumped into tanks and sent off to be marketed. What happens at the processing plant? The milk is pasturized, but pasturization does not kill Johne's, so the USDA and FDA decided that the milk should be irradiated. Well, the bacteria living on/in the feces is killed, but the feces is still left behind, yep-that's right- in the milk. The most frightening part of all, Johne's disease in cattle is identical to Crohn's Disease in humans. Now for the clincher- there is no cure for either. For human's there are treatments but no cure, for cattle it is always a painful, fatal death.
In recent years, there has been such an upscale rise in diseases such as Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Autism, Crohn's Disease and many others that, not all that long ago, were fairly unheard of. I am not saying all of these are related to Johne's disease. What I am saying is why such a sudden increase in these diseases? What is the triggering factor? My advice is to read the article, do some research, not only for yourselves but your loved ones. Let's be aware of what we are putting in our mouths or into our air. So for those of you wanting to buy a few goats- Johne's is a good enough reason- just make sure they're disease free.
I want to thank Jerry Cook, Countryside Staff, who wrote the article, "An update on food safety legislation" in Countryside magazine- Jan./Feb 2010 edition Pages 50-52. link-http://www.countrysidemag.com/
On Dec. 29, 2009- Assoc. Press came out with an article on antibiotics being fed to livestock and the results thereof- Please Read if you don't raise your own meat- it may inspire you to...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091229/ap_on_he_me/when_drugs_stop_working_the_meat_we_eat
