Student Scholarship
Document Type
Research Paper
Abstract
This study investigates the development, regulation, and public health implications of incorporating hormones and antibiotics into animal feeds, a practice that became a major industrial development in the decade leading up to 1958. The research highlights how substances like diethylstilbestrol and various antibiotics were found to dramatically accelerate growth rates and improve feed efficiency in poultry, swine, and cattle. For instance, the use of diethylstilbestrol in fattening steers became widely accepted by 1954 following research showing significant daily weight gains and feed savings. Similarly, nutritional levels of antibiotics were found to enhance growth by checking subclinical infections and improving the general health of livestock.
The document explores the complex regulatory landscape, noting that the incorporation of these drugs transformed feed manufacturers into drug manufacturers subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. It details the role of the Food and Drug Administration in overseeing new drug applications, which require substantial evidence of safety for both the animals and the human consumers of resulting edible products. While federal authorities focus on safety data and manufacturing controls, state officials bear the primary responsibility for ensuring effective labeling and proper identification of medicated products at the local level.
A significant portion of the investigation is dedicated to the public health risks associated with drug residues. The author expresses concern over the potential for humans to develop antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria or experience allergic reactions. Most critically, the study examines the carcinogenic nature of diethylstilbestrol, pointing out that even infinitesimal doses can induce cancer in laboratory animals. Because these hormones are not destroyed by cooking and can be stored in animal tissues, the author concludes that the use of such carcinogens in the food supply presents a hidden hazard. Ultimately, the study recommends the discontinuance of hormone use in feeds and advocates for better public education regarding antibiotic residues in meat and milk.
Research Highlights
The Problem: Inadequate federal and state oversight of medicated animal feeds creates potential public health risks from hormone and antibiotic residues in human food supplies.
The Method: Investigation of 1950s federal statutes (FDA), state feed laws, and scientific research regarding diethylstilbestrol (DES) and antibiotics like penicillin and oxytetracycline in poultry, swine, and cattle.
Quantitative Finding: DES-fed cattle showed a 12% feed saving and 0.33 lb per day gain increase; penicillin increased chick growth by up to 122%; DES residues of 3 to 24 mg were found in 35% of poultry necks sampled in New York markets.
Qualitative Finding: Antibiotics promote growth by inhibiting subclinical infections and altering intestinal flora; diethylstilbestrol acts as a carcinogen capable of inducing tumors in lab animals at infinitesimal doses; accidental DES contamination of laboratory rations can destroy the breeding capacity of research colonies.
Finding: While medicated feeds increase food production efficiency, current "zero residue" standards are limited by the sensitivity of analytical methods, potentially leaving cancer-inducing substances in the food supply.
Publication Date
1-1958
Recommended Citation
Price, Patsy, "An Investigation Into the Use of Hormones and Antibiotics in Animal Feeds, the Control Problem and Public Health Significance" (1958). Student Scholarship. 106.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/student-research-papers/106
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