Industrial Corn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industrial Corn - Essay Example Although the massive production of industrial corn has revolutionized the food industry, it has also been associated with several problems. The availability of cheap industrial corn has made it to be used as a diet for animals and this has made it possible to gather many animals and feed them on corn. This has led to the availability of cheap meat and more families can now afford meat. Pollan (2006) explains that when fed to livestock, they fatten quickly, get more energy and their flesh marbles well giving it a good texture and taste. It has also helped to sustain the prices of corn as the grain gets more utility as a stable food in many countries. Despite the above-mentioned benefits of industrial corn, we cannot ignore the dangers it poses to man and livestock. First, it is important to note that the cow, an animal created to forage, has now been turned into one of the biggest disposers of corn. It is next to man in this. This un-natural change in diet has led to increased health problems among livestock. The most serious among these is bloat. This occurs because of less roughage and more starch in a ruminant’s stomach. In serious cases, the inflated rumen presses against the animal’s lungs causing suffocation. Another animal health problem is acidosis. This occurs because corn makes the stomach acidic and yet the stomach environment is normally neutral in PH. The use of grains has also encouraged the use of antibiotics on animals and this is a health risk both for the animals and mankind. Even though we may celebrate the increased availability and affordability of meat, there are problems associated with the use of cheap meat. According to Pollan (2006), cheap corn-fed meat contains less omega-3 fatty acids and more saturated fat than grass-fed meat. As a result, more problems related with the eating of feed are associated with corn-fed beef. Increased use of corn feeding to livestock through the Concentrated Animal