Why Are Antibiotics Used In Meat

Original Topic: Antibiotics used in livestock used for meat is becoming a growing concern as to the safety of the product for consumers. Antibiotics can help animals who are being raised for meat grow better and stay healthy, but it also can have negative impacts on the meat produced.

Current Topic: no change needed

References

Pro-argument

Category 2 South Dakota State University. Beef Procedures: Antibiotic Use.

Category 3 SF Gate by San Francisco Chronicle. Debate over using Anti-Microbial in Livestock: Supporting Anti-Microbial

Category 4 Animal Health Institute. About Animal Medicines: Pharmaceuticals

Category 6 Meat News Network- Dr. Randy Singer, DVM. Myth: 80 Percent of Antibiotics Are Used in Animals

Category 7 The Feeding Tube. Antibiotics in Beef

Con-argument

Category 2 Center for Disease Control and Production. Antibiotic use in Food-Producing Animals

Category 3 David A. Kessler (The New York Times). Antibiotics and the Meat We Eat

Category 5 Maryn McKenna of Wired. CDC Threat Report: Yes, Agricultural Antibiotics Play a Role in Drug Resistance

Category 7 Potluck Video. Understanding Antibiotics in Meat

Category 7 Discovery News. How Much Antibiotics Are In Your Meat?

Pro: Antibiotics use in meat animals can help the animals grow larger quicker or provide better health to the animals

receiving the antibiotics, therefore producing meat at cheaper costs.
When animals are sick, they need certain antibiotics to help them overcome the illness, sometimes antibiotics are given to prevent the animal from getting sick. These antibiotics can also help them grow faster (given at lower doses) or relieve separation anxiety when they are moved away from their mothers. Dr. Apley (DVM) defends antibiotics and anti-microbial by saying that they are good and that he has yet to find any data-based information to suggest they do anything bad to the humans who consume the animals’ meat. Dr. Apley describes that death rates in animals used for meat production are diminished when antibiotics are used in the production. Animals need antibiotics to get and stay healthy. Antibiotics are given in a variety of forms that include pills, injectable substances, and additives to their feed such as liquids and powders. Dr. Singer (DVM) explains that quite a bit of the antibiotics used for animals don’t affect human health and don’t relate to antibiotic resistance in human medicine. Dr. Singer mentions that when animals get sick, it is part of the veterinarian’s oath taken to treat them which can involve antibiotics, which in the end produce a healthy animal which makes for wholesome meat. Withdrawal times help ensure that all of the antibiotics given to animals are metabolized before they are slaughtered for meat. It is illegal for meat to be sold that hasn’t gone through the appropriate withdrawal times. The Beef Quality Assurance is a pact to use as few antibiotics as needed to treat as little animals as needed for as little time as it takes for the animals to get better. At the end of the video we are informed that if consumers cook their meat thoroughly they are not at a risk.
Con Statement: Antibiotic use in meat animals has correlation to antibiotic resistant bacteria which can harm the humans who consume the meat.
In recent years we have begun to hear more about antibiotic resistance and have heard about how if an animal develops an antibiotic resistance, the resistant bacteria could be transferred to humans who eat the meat.

Antibiotics can be used to speed up growth in animals so that the maximum amount of weight can be put on the animal in the shortest amount of time. In this case, the antibiotics are fed at low levels and this can be the most dangerous way to disperse antibiotics to the animal. Antibiotic resistance is becoming a large concern for many consuming meats from animals that contain bacteria that is drug resistant could cause a problem for human

health.
When animals are raised using antibiotics, they can have bacteria that develop to be resistant to antibiotics. These bad bacteria can contaminate not only the meat, but hands of people working with the meat, as well as kitchens and much more which can lead to human sickness or death. Antibiotic use is increasing, in fact from the years 2009 to 2011, the amount of antibiotics sold to farms for livestock jumped up a whopping twenty percent. Antibiotics can sometimes kill off good bacteria in the process of fighting the bad bacteria.

Pro Conclusion: Antibiotics are necessary in producing healthy animals with healthy meat. Withdrawal periods play a huge factor in making sure that antibiotics are not lingering in meat when the animal is slaughtered. As long as we as consumers of the meat properly cook the meat, we are safe.
Con Conclusion: Antibiotic use in animals is growing and could lead to bacteria becoming antibiotic resistant. Meat that is antibiotic resistant can contaminate other foods and in fact a whole kitchen when proper measures aren’t taken. The antibiotics can possibly kill off bacteria that is more helpful than harmful.
Prior to starting the research for this assignment I believed that the humane procedure for meat livestock, was to use antibiotics on the animals. I know that when I am sick or have any infection, I do not wish to suffer and often go to the doctor for antibiotics. I wouldn’t want an animal to suffer and I would hope that they too would have the opportunity to receive treatment and medicines for their medical problems when necessary.
After concluding the research, I still stick to my opinion that antibiotics are good for animals. The withdrawal times ensure that there is not any antibiotics left in the animal when it is slaughtered for meat. Therefore, no one is consuming antibiotics in their meat. I feel safe consuming meat that was treated for antibiotics and feel sure that as long as I handle the meat properly and cook it thoroughly, I will be safe when consuming meat from an animal that was treated with antibiotics.
My opinion did not change after research. I found that the con evidence was too lacking and had information that did not sell me on the point. Some of the key points for the con side such as meat contaminating other foods and a kitchen. This would only be possible if the meat was not handled and cooked properly. In general, a good safe, piece of meat is perfectly healthy as long as cross contamination does not happen as well as the meat is cooked thoroughly to 165 degrees. Also, the fact that antibiotic use is more in livestock than humans is not alarming to me since as Dr. Singer said in a pro video that antibiotics are needed in larger quantities for the animals since the animals are larger.