What would happen if there were a ban on the slaughter of downed animals for food, and how can we detect illness, including mad cow disease, if downed animals are not sent to USDA slaughterhouses?
The vast majority of downed animals cases (between 75 percent and 90 percent) can be prevented with improved care and management on the farm and in transit. Removing the market for downed animals provides an appropriate incentive for livestock producers to be more attentive to their animals’ health in order to prevent the problem in the first place. Improved animal care and management also allows for better detection of symptoms that may be indicative of mad cow disease or other illnesses.
Related Questions
- What would happen if there were a ban on the slaughter of downed animals for food, and how can we detect illness, including mad cow disease, if downed animals are not sent to USDA slaughterhouses?
- How many downed animals are slaughtered for human food in the United States each year?
- Doesn the slaughter of food animals produce valuable by-products?
