Why would prescribing antibiotics for dairy cows have a negative impact on us humans?

Answer 1

Here's the deal: Most cows, chickens, and other livestock are raised in dirty, overcrowded, confined, "factory-like" conditions and are routinely given low levels of antibiotics in their feed or water. This practice makes the animals grow slightly faster and helps stave off infection, which is more likely to be a problem for animals that are kept in tight quarters. According to The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), an estimated 70 percent of antibiotics and related drugs made in the United States are used for the purpose of fattening livestock. The concern that they will increase the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that we all need to contend with. And experts warn that there are already many strains of diseases that no longer respond to antibiotics.

Just as taking antibiotics unnecessarily contributes to increased resistance by some strains of bacteria, overusing antibiotics in agriculture is contributing to the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to common antibiotics. The more an antibiotic is used, the more the bacteria will become resistant to it. Also, if too little antibiotic is used (as is often the case when antibiotics are used on healthy animals), it won't kill all the bacteria — and the survivors can grow and multiply into resistant strains. Some of these bacteria can be spread by eating the meat (especially the undercooked meat) of antibiotic-fed cattle, causing food poisoning cases that are harder — or even impossible — to treat. It's even possible to consume a harmless bug that carries a resistant gene and passes it onto a more harmful bug that you pick up elsewhere.

Answer 2

Antibiotics given to cows are NOT meant for human consumption. If a cow is being given antibiotics----that means it has a bacterial infection. Hellooooo? Gross. They also give them hormones so they will produce more milk (for dairy cows) or produce more meat (if they are slaughter cows).