The use of growth hormone implants in beef cattle has been practiced for sixty one years. Growth hormone implants have given producers an advantage when it comes to increasing amount of product as well as the producers profit. Growth hormone implants are capsules that are placed under the skin behind the ear of cattle in order to maximize their final output of product, otherwise known as muscle. Implants in beef cattle has become a controversial topic over the past decade around the world. It is controversial because many consumers are concerned for their safety and the animals well being. However, hormone implants in beef cattle are harmless to both the consumer and the livestock, and implants are a huge asset to the meat production industry because they allow the producers to maximize profit, also they assist producers in feeding a rapidly growing population with less resources, and improve the overall quality of the beef.
In my research paper I am going to be discussing beef cattle growth hormone implants. Implanting beef cattle has become a huge controversial topic in the beef cattle industry. The use of hormone implants in beef cattle has revolutionized the production of beef, but it has also raised several different concerns toward health and well-being of consumers. There are countless arguments that could be made for and against this tactic of increasing production and I plan to show why implants are a beneficial option. Growth hormone implants create higher profits, a shorter time frame to get livestock ready for harvest, and increased beef production without having to genetically modify organisms which is also a very controversial topic in the agriculture industry. The arguments against growth hormone implants is the fear of “residues” left in beef post harvest, safety of the animals, and how they affect our environment. As I stated earlier this subject has become a huge subject of controversy for the beef cattle production industry, and it has started many debates across the country. Consumers should learn about all aspects of growth hormones before forming an opinion to guarantee it is an educated opinion based off of facts vs an emotional stance.
Several have theorized that added hormones in beef cause children to develop more quickly and that they cause health issues but, none of these theories have been tested and proven. Often times they get this idea because they believe there are residues left in the meat and then consumed when eating the product. Consumers fear this could cause health issues and premature puberty in adolescents. The Organic Consumers Webpage expresses this concern by saying, “the possible effects on human populations exposed to residues of anabolic sex hormones through meat consumption have never, to our knowledge, been studied. Theoretically, the fetus and the prepubertal child are particularly sensitive to exposure to sex steroids” (Swan). In this article they explain their fear of “harmful residues” left in the meat. The concerns of animal safety has become a major topic of controversy with organizations such as PETA. Organizations like these have expressed concerns about the welfare of the animals because of the result of rapid muscle growth. This a fair concern to a certain extent. If improperly used implants could be threatening to the health of the cattle, though this is a rare occurrence. Growth hormone implants cause rapid growth of the cattle’s muscles and this could potentially affect their mobility and bone structure because the cattle are built for a specific body type.
Growth hormones when tested and consumed for several years show no concern about the safety of beef that was raised with growth hormones. Post harvest there are no residues found in animals that have been implanted meat. Hormone implants are all FDA approved, meaning that they have been tested and proven harmless. The FDA states, “The FDA approves these drugs only after information and/or studies have shown that the food from the treated animals is safe for people to eat, and that the drugs do not harm the treated animal or the environment. The drugs also have to be effective, meaning that they work as intended” (Center For Veterinary Medicine). This is a clear indicator that there should be no worry about the potential hazards from these chemicals. The FDA assigned a zero-day withdrawal period for these hormone implants, which means it takes zero days for any harmful toxins to leave the animal’s body (Center For Veterinary Medicine). While animal safety is a large area of concern for consumers, it is also an important topic and concern for the producers. Each animal for a producer has value causing the livestock to be very important to the producer. Producers are often times as concerned, if not more concerned than the consumer because it is their livelihood. By compromising the well-being of these animals the producer would also be compromising their operation and livelihood.
Growth hormones implants are a vital part of the beef industry. The implants help producers produce more pounds of product with fewer head of cattle by making them weigh more. The more lean muscle weight a calf has the higher the profit margin for the ranchers. The more money going to the ranchers ensures that the operation is well funded and the facilities and equipment are up to par, ultimately benefiting the consumers in the long run. Kevin Gould, the author of Beef Cattle Implants: Facts, Safety, Economics & Sustainability stated, “Often this topic can get emotional as some will never use implant technology and I fully support their decision, however, when losing $60+/head and not realizing any premiums at the market, I question their decision” (Gould). If producers did not take advantage of hormone implants it would be a giant mistake. Producers often run large operations with thousands of head a difference of sixty dollars per head is a large amount of profit. For farmers and ranchers to be able to make ends me, as well as profit from selling their stock, they have to maximize carcass capabilities. Using growth hormone implants is the best way to maximize a carcasses capability. Cattle can only gain so much weight because of their design. If you increase the amount of growth hormones in the bovine, you will increase the amount of muscle they put on.
Our country, as well as the rest of the world, is growing at an extremely rapid rate. The current population of the world is nearly eight billion. The world population is expected to be nine point eight billion by the year two thousand fifty and by the two thousand one hundred it is expected to be eleven point two billion. With a growing population there will be a higher demand for land for housing and infrastructure. Currently farmers and ranchers are already struggling with the amount of land available. When the population is rising the amount of available land is shrinking. Farmers and ranchers need enough land to produce enough product to feed the growing population. This means that producers need to produce more product with less. Growth hormone implants are the best and most efficient way to produce more beef with less head of cattle and less land to put the cattle on. Cattle can only grow to a certain size and weight before slaughter without the calf becoming “stale”. Cattle that become stale produce a lower quality of beef because they have over matured. Since cattle have to be harvested before they hit a certain age to ensure their quality, growth hormone implants guarantee the maximum pounds of product produced before becoming stale. Producers have tried to naturally breed cattle to where their offspring are bigger, but most of the cattle with larger frame sizes were not structurally correct to handle the added weight and do not have the characteristics to produce a high quality carcass. The only way to produce enough beef to feed our rapidly growing population is to increase the size and ability of our cattle through harmless and safe growth hormone implants.
Growth hormone implants affected several aspects of the cattles product one of which being the quality of beef. The growth hormone implants increase the quality of products produced by the cattle. Andrea Young states “Implants change what happens to the nutrients that beef cattle consume by enhancing muscle growth and diminishing fat deposition, lowering the amount of feed needed for each animal” (Young). Young tells us that the hormones cause the cattle to maximize their full potential when it comes to their feed intake, while not causing the cattle to become over-conditioned. Our current meat market has a cookie cutter standard that is becoming the norm, that standard is a leaner carcass. Growth hormone implants are helping producers achieve this leaner carcass. James W. Lauderdale states that the use of implants can result in a “more consistent, better managed beef product, without sacrificing taste or quality” (Lauderdale). Cattle have a tendency to become sick when they are put on to high of a feed regime, that being said this is a huge advantage because occasionally producers will over feed their cattle for them to potentially weigh more. The hormones create a higher quality product with far less resources. Due to the money saved producers are able to spend that money elsewhere such as on higher quality drugs to ensure their cattle recover fully and properly from illness and also guarantees a lower feed bill. Creating a more efficient bovine means that they utilize all feed consumed getting them to harvest ready point sooner meaning, less resources are used to create a market ready calf. Since producers are putting less feed in the cattle, the producers receive a higher income. The most efficient and safe option for producing larger cattle with improved and improving meat quality is hormone implants. Hormone implants relieve the stress of high feed consumption and potential illness for cattle and they save the producer several resources and money due to the food efficiency and pounds of muscle gained per day.
Many will not agree with the several and diverse advantages that there are to implanting beef cattle. Luckily for them there are alternatives. There is beef that is “Growth hormone free” it is sold around the world and consumed by several. Side effects to this product is the quality is immensely less and the price is far higher. While the label reads “hormone free”, there is no such thing. All livestock have hormones in their bodies, just like humans. Hormones in all cattle cannot be avoided it is a natural regulatory substance produced by organisms to further develop throughout their lives. What “hormone free beef” actually means is that the cattle had no additional hormones added and were not given medications that would help further the calf in their muscle producing process, to create a higher quality product. “Hormone free beef” is essentially grass fed beef. Grass fed beef will even have a different appearance in the package, it will have a denser fat and vs the normal white fat it will have a yellow tinted fat. While the appearance is altered unfortunately so is the flavor and texture. The product will have a gamey like taste due to the cattles diet. If you are extremely against growth hormone implants in beef cattle there is an option for you if you are willing to compromise quality and pay the higher price for a lower quality product.