http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/12/80-percent-u-s-antibiotics-given-to-farm-animals.php
SUMMARY
80% of all antibiotics purchased in the US go to farm animals. About 10 years ago, concerned scientists calculated that 70% of antibiotics went to farm animals. The FDA released an annual amount of antimicrobial drugs sold and used for food animals. The estimated total in 2009 was 28.8 million pounds. To sum it all up, we are pumping antibiotics into farm animals so they don't get sick in the cramped dark spaces they are locked in. As antibiotic resistance becomes a greater problem, people think that human medication is the answer because it uses equal volumes of antibiotics.
REFLECTION
I think it is crazy that we are giving so many antibiotics to farm animals. I find it inconvenient because we could put the animals outside to keep them healthy, and save so much money for not using antibiotics for animals. Even though factory farms are quicker and easier than family farms, i feel that the animals health is more important than anything. Like we learned in class, if we are going to be eating the animals, it is like we are consuming the antibiotics also. if this does not change, which i don't think it will, i think that using human medication is a smart idea. all that matters to me is that the animals are healthy before we eat them.
QUESTIONS
1) Do you find it shocking that 80% of purchased antibiotics are used for farm animals?
2) Do you think antibiotic resistance is a big problem?
3) Do you think using human medication is a smart idea?
4) Would you rather eat animals that were given antibiotics or not? why?
I agree with Kyle because keeping the animals outside would keep them healthy, however, the reason for keeping animals locked up is really for the money. That is what people really care about the most so that is why they do it. Like we learned in class, more factory farms means more saving for the buyer and more profits for the people in charge of the farms because people will buy more. We also learned that people receive more jobs this way and provides more food for everyone. And, at a time like this people are willing to get any job they can so by having factory farms, more jobs are available. The problem is that people aren't realizing that the environment is hurt and we may be eating unhealthy food. People need to know more about this because I had no idea before we learned it.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: I think that the antibiotic resistance is a big problem because disease germs may still be inside an animal for food. Also, adding more antibiotics is just making the resistance worse.
Question 3: Yes, I do feel that using human medication could be a good idea, however, we do not know the effects of it yet. Could it still produce resistant bacteria?
I agree with what Kyle said in how we could just let them be outside, instead of giving us a reason for all the antibitics. I mean I understand that it cuts down on the cost for space but why put the animals throught all that strain for a couple bucks. Again like Kyle said why don't we just flip the costs, keep them outside and save on antibiotics that we could be using for humans instead. Like we said in class kepping the animals close saves money. But I thinks it's kind of reduntant to be giving the animals antibiotics that humans are the causes to in the first place. Then in turn giving the ose same humans more of a chance onf catcher that disease by eating those certain foods.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2) Yes, because if the bacteria that could make us sick becomes resistant to the antibiotic trying to kill it there is more of a chance of us getting sick by eat that certain meat.
Question 4)Yes, I would rather eat the animal with the antibiotic if it is coming from a factory farm, other than that it doesn't matter antibiotic or no antibiotic
I also agree with kyle. If we just let them out side it could be benificial, but people are more worried about the money that is spent on extra land. They aren't worried about the health of people just the money they are making from it. If they just stoped using the antibioitcs it would cut expenses a great deal too. As much as I hate the idea, i understand why they have to make those dicisions. Also agreeing with kyle i dont see the matter changing, so if they were to use human medication that is healthy for us and the animals i can see that being very benificial. Its weird after learning about this stuf fromt he meatrix and then seeing things like that actually happening in the real world.
ReplyDelete1) Do you find it shocking that 80% of purchased antibiotics are used for farm animals?
-yes
2) Do you think antibiotic resistance is a big problem?
-huge
3) Do you think using human medication is a smart idea?
- i think it is a creative idea and i hope it works
4) Would you rather eat animals that were given antibiotics or not? why?
- I'm not exactly sure. I wouldnt want the animals to have bacteria going within them or have viruses, but I also wouldnt wanted to create an amunity to the antibiotics
I think that it’s crazy that 80% of all US antibiotics are used in animals. I think that it’s even crazier that it has raise 10% in only 10 years. I agree with Kyle in that we could so easily just keep animals outside in bigger pens, to stop the spread of diseases. It could save money and leave the antibiotics for better used than farm animals. In class, we learned about the way that super disease can be formed. They may be a problem in farming. If certain diseases are resistant to these antibiotics than what will happen? Will all of the animals get sick and die, or will farmers just b=buy more antibiotics? It just doesn’t seem practical to be using so many antibiotics on farm animals when we could just try to keep them healthy in the first place by treating them with better conditions.
ReplyDelete1.I do find it very shocking, but then again, we have learned about the way that farmers deal with their animals, and when you think about it, it does make sense.
2.I do think that antibiotic resistance is a problem, because in the long run, if diseases become resistant to these medications, than there will be so many diseases that cannot be controlled and we will have an even larger problem.