| Distillers' Grain In Cattle Feed May Contribute To E. Coli Infection | ||
| 02/06/2010 - by Travis | ||
| So we already know that feeding corn to cattle in large amounts is detrimental. The consumption of a grain-based diet for a ruminant results in a abnormally acidic digestive tract. This then results in a more acid tolerant e. coli O157:H7 which may be more serious for humans as our own stomach acids are less likely to kill the bacterium. Note that O157 does indeed occur naturally in the digestive tract of many animals. However, it's the acid-resistant strain that's particularly troublesome. It appears that the waste product from ethanol production has the same effect (not surprising given that corn is primarily used for the production of ethanol in the United States). Distillers' Grain In Cattle Feed May Contribute To E. Coli Infection |