August 27, 2013

Cargill to phase out Zilmax-fed cattle by end September

As more testing needs to be done with feed additive Zilmax, Cargill Inc. said that the last cattle fed with the feed additive will be out of its production supply by the end of September.

Zilmax became the focus of attention in the livestock industry after Tyson Foods Inc. said on August 7 that it will stop buying Zilmax-fed cattle for slaughter beginning next month. Tyson said it was concerned about Zilmax potentially causing health or behavioural problems for some cattle.

Merck's Animal Health unit announced on August 16 that it would halt US and Canadian sales of Zilmax, pending additional company research and review.

"While Cargill has not linked Zilmax to any specific incidents involving animal well-being, the company does believe more research is necessary to answer recently raised questions regarding the use of this product," the company said in a statement posted on its website.

Zilmax is part of a family of drugs called beta-agonists, a class of non-hormone growth promoters that have been deemed safe for animals and humans by the US Food and Drug Administration. Such products are fed to cattle in the weeks prior to slaughter to increase weight by as much as 30 pounds of lean meat.