Farmer feeds cows candy to beat rising corn prices

[BrownEye]

KENTUCKY -- At Mayfield's United Livestock Commodities, in Mayfield, Kentucky owner Joseph Watson is tweaking the recipe for success.

"Just to be able to survive, we have to look at other sources for nutrition," he said.

His 1,400 cattle are no longer feeding off corn. The prices, Watson said, are too high, so earlier this year he began to buy second hand candy.

"It actually has a higher ratio of fat then actually feeding them straight corn," Watson said.

Which is important, because all of the cattle will be brought to slaughter. Watson wants them to gain weight and by feeding them chocolate, it gets the job done.

"It's hard to believe it will work but we've already seen the results of it now, so we're pretty happy with it," he said with a smile.

Watson believes it is healthy. He monitors the cattle's daily intake and said there haven't been any health problems and the proof is in their weight.

"This ration is balanced to have not too much fat in it. It's got all the right nutrition for them," Watson said.

Watson mixes the candy with an ethanol by product and a mineral nutrient.

The packaged candy comes from various companies at a discounted rate because it's not fit for store shelves.

"Salvage is a problem for a lot of these companies and they're proud to have a place to go with it," he said.

http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.asp...C1XoKP9OVo

[Bring4th_Austin]

In reality, it's not that much worse for the cow's health than feeding them straight grain. Neither are good for the animal or the meat they provide.

It makes me wonder though, where was this candy going before? If the health implications are similar for the cows and the people eating them, this could possibly offer some relief in the grain industry allowing more grain to go straight to food production rather than livestock production. It's a shocking thing to learn at first, but there are implications that might be worth considering.

[Spaced]

"second hand candy"?

[BrownEye]

If ecoli results from feeding grain to cows, what can we expect from candy I wonder?

[Spaced]

can cows get diabetes?

[Cyan]

I find this hilarious and supportable.

compared to straight corn, you'd have to be crazy not to have, at least, one rush in your life.

I'd recommend global agriculture adopts a policy of feeding cannabis to cows. Just because, can you imagine the societal consequences. =D

[Patrick]

can cows get diabetes?

Yes and much more easily than us.

[Bring4th_Austin]

If ecoli results from feeding grain to cows, what can we expect from candy I wonder?

Interesting question. Assuming chocolate metabolizes similarly as in humans, it could create an even more acidic digestive system than just grain. This spawns e. coli which is even more resistant to stomach acid, meaning the e. coli in the meat would be even more dangerous for humans. This already happens in grain-fed beef, it could happen to a greater extent in candy-fed beef. Speculation though.

can cows get diabetes?

Yes and much more easily than us.

Considering the life-span of a conventional meat cow, diabetes probably wouldn't be an issue.

[Patrick]

can cows get diabetes?

Yes and much more easily than us.

Considering the life-span of a conventional meat cow, diabetes probably wouldn't be an issue.

I would think it is welcomed, since it will fatten them faster and so shorten their difficult incarnation.

[C-JEAN]

Hi, cow fans.

Cows eating candy. . . ??? B-))))
Do we call that farmer "smart", "resourceful" ? B-)

BUT. . . the fat the cows put on, is it the GOOD one ???
Don't we cut out the fat, when we prepare the meat ?

So that fat is $$$$.cc lost for us ?
? Soooo is it ***honnest*** to do that candy feed ?

Blue skies.

[zenmaster]

So that's where chocolate milk comes from.

[Patrick]

This just goes here.

The Lady's Brunch Burger


"Yes, that is what it looks like: a bacon egg hamburger with donuts instead of buns."

[AnthroHeart]

Patrick, that reminds me of an episode of the Simpsons, where Homer was watching tv and their burger also had a bar of butter on it. Homer was doing his famous homer drool.