So I was shopping on line for Prime Rib....

[CurlingDog]

and i came across this ad that i thought was a bit funny... as I was checking off the must have's, i found some humour. Perhaps i''m a bit naive, but... aren't all cows vegetarian?

[jgreen]

That is cute, but I think actually some cattle are fed some meat products in their diet. Not sure what that does to the flavour of the meat.

[gcdmd]

At one time cattle were fed ground up desiccated brain tissue and other "renderings" from previously slaughtered cattle and other animals. The practice has been halted or curtailed over concerns about mad cow disease.

Perhaps HorseDoctor can comment further.

[HorseDoctor]

You are correct. Tankage used to be a common source of protein supplementation. Prion diseases (Mad Cow, Scrappie, Chronic Wasting, etc.) have pretty much halted that practice.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'm pretty sure back in the 90s win the first cow was discovered with bovine spongiform encephalopathy overseas it was suspected that some type of wild animal had got ground up into the cattle feed.

But with respect to the advertising. Certain companies will advertise that the poultry or pork was not raised with any hormones or steroids when in fact those things have been illegal for some number of years. They must have an asterik with a notation somewhere on the label explaining that those things are in fact illegal.

[ComfortablyNumb]

It was theorised that it was sheep with scrapie were being fed to the cattle. However the true source remains unknown.

[Huskee]

Jerod Broussard Is that sorta like a CPA telling you he/she hasn't ever stolen from clients or embezzled so your money's safe?

[Jerod Broussard]

Hehe. On the Incomplete Deer Hunter Billie and Willie were asked by the Game Warden if they had been doing any illegal hunting, their reply was, "No sir, not that you know of."

[ComfortablyNumb]

This is also why you see eggs advertised as from 'vegetarian' chickens. Chickens by nature aren't vegetarian, they also eat bugs, worms, mice, and even flesh from dead animals. Factory farmed chickens can only eat what is presented to them, so they get vegetarian diets to ease the minds of those aren't keen on their animals being fed recycled animals.

[gcdmd]

It sort of falls into the "whatever floats your boat" category. While some people want vegetarian chickens, others tout the benefits of free range chickens, which can forage but probably eat mostly grain provided by the farmers.

[ComfortablyNumb]

What is ‘free range’? Here is how the marketing terms are used: None; raised in huge buildings in cages. Cage Free; same building no cages. Free Range; same building with a door to a small area outside. Organic; same building fed certified organic feed. All can be fed ‘vegetarian’ feed.

[FireMan]

And then you have the Veganarians.