GMO grain- is this an issue to you?

InHisName · #1 04/13/12, 08:50 AM

A friend called last night who lost a beautiful nubian and 2 of her stillborn kids, she is looking into the aspect of feeding gmo corn. Has anyone heard of this? What causes stillborn goats? She is a wonderful goat "mother", I know they are not lacking in care. Another friend had the same thing happen, though her stillborn kids were born without eyes.

mammabooh · #2 04/13/12, 09:19 AM

I haven't investigated it much, but I know that the breeder that I got my goats from (Celtic Knot) feeds all non-GMO feed. She's been feeding that way for close to a year, I believe.

Hollowdweller · #3 04/13/12, 09:23 AM

I personally would like both feed and food to be marked so consumers can make a choice.

Currently to my understanding the FDA is prohibiting GMO free labeling.

**mygoat** · #4 04/13/12, 09:43 AM

That is very unusual. I don't think it's GMO corn.

I'm totally ambivalent with GMO crops, currently.

I *don't* like that it's uncontrolled and that companies 'own' you once you have it on your property. There's nothing you can do about cross pollinators - it's going to get on your property and this makes it illegal to retain any seeds from your crops to replant next year, as you are propogating the company's genetics and they DO have a patent on it. I'd rather we make GMO animals than GMO plants, because animals are easy to control and keep them from breeding other people's animals. Put up a good fence = problem solved. It's not the case with the GMO plants. We don't plant large crops or keep back seeds yearly, so this is currently not an issue for me. If I were to buy seeds to plant, we'd probably go with the best plant for the best price - GMO or otherwise.

However, I do NOT think they're problematic per se. There is a lot of scare tactics out there, mostly with those that think it's inherently wrong to mess with genetics on a religous or moral ground. The fact of the matter is, any risk from GMO is very small - you and your livestock are eating GMO or products produced with GMO. If it was abo----ely bad for you, we would see the signs of it by now. Commercial meat/dairy producers would NOT use them if they could not produce a safe saleable product for a good price (IE, be profitable). We have been using them for a LONG, LONG time.

Yes, there may be people/animals out there that cannot handle some of the GMO results. But it is silly to say that it is bad for EVERYBODY just because of a few individuals. That is not how the world works - we don't stop selling peanuts because a minority are allergic to them - if you can't handle it, avoid them.

From what I understand, GMO corn has been modified with Bacillus thurigensis DNA - producing the toxin that BT produces. BT is used as an ORGANIC approved product used to kill caterpillars/grubs SPECIFICALLY. With organic application, it's sprayed onto the plants. The grubs eat the plant and incidentaly also eat the BT, then die.

From a wiki on gm corn (talking of BT gene insertion):
"Expressing the toxin was achieved by inserting a gene from the microorganism Bacillus thuringiensis into the corn genome. This gene codes for a toxin that causes the formation of pores in the Lepidoptera larval digestive tract. These pores allow naturally occurring enteric bacteria, such as E. coli and Enterobacter, to enter the hemocoel, where they multiply and cause sepsis. (NA Broderick and others., 2006) This is contrary to the common misconception that Bt toxin kills the larvae by starvation."

It also is usually Round-Up ready. Round-up works by inhibitiing a biological process found ONLY IN PLANTS. Round-up ready plants can tolerate round up applications.

IMO, I would FIRST suspect herbicides/pesticides/mould/contaminated feed, deficiencies, drug interactions (some drugs used during pregnancy cause birth defects), AND the fact that there are many common plants that can cause severe birth defects when eaten in the pasture or baled in hay.

Dragonid · #5 04/13/12, 10:06 AM

It's very unlikely to be related to genetically modified crops. While 85% of the corn in the US is GMO, few other crops have a significant proportion modified. This has been fed to humans and animals for decades. While there are a variety of digestive differences between us and our livestock, most of our metabolic systems are remarkably similar. Livestock have been raised for many generations on modified feed, if it were a problem, it certainly wouldn't be any kind of secret by now.

Alice In TX/MO · #6 04/13/12, 10:47 AM

I don't feed corn.

Sherry in Iowa · #7 04/13/12, 11:19 AM

I think GMO grains and alfalfa will eventually win and homesteaders and farmers will realize (too late) that they have ruined what God made so perfectly.

This talks about an Italian study on goats and GMO rations.

Potential Health Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods

This is just a snippet of what the above article has in it.

Sheep grazing on Bt cotton developed "unusual systems" before dying "mysteriously." Reports from four Indian villages revealed 25% of them died within a week. Post mortems indicated a toxic reaction. The study raises questions about cottonseed oil safety and human health for people who eat meat from animals fed GM cotton. It's crucial to understand that what animals eat, so do people.

Nearly all 100 Filipinos living adjacent to a Bt corn field became ill. Their symptoms appeared when the crop was producing airborne pollen and was apparently inhaled. Doing it produced headaches, dizziness, extreme stomach pain, vomiting, chest pains, fever, and allergies plus respiratory, intestinal and skin reactions. Blood tests conducted on 39 victims showed an antibody response to Bt-toxin suggesting it was the cause. Four other villages experienced the same problems that also resulted in several animal deaths.

Iowa farmers reported a conception rate drop of from 80% to 20% among sows (female pigs) fed GM corn. Most animals also had false pregnancies, some delivered bags of water and others stopped menstruating. Male pigs were also affected as well as cows and bulls. They became sterile and all were fed GM corn.

Bearfootfarm · #8 04/13/12, 11:31 AM

Between 80 and 90% of all the corn grown in this country is GMO, yet they have to do "studies" in India and the Phillipines to find "proof" of problems?

There is NO actual proof GMO's are causing health problems in animals or humans

Labeling won't make any difference at all.

Grain dealers can't test EVERY kernal of corn to assure it's NOT GMO, so they would just simply say "MAY contain GMO grain" on every product to cover themselves.

If you don't want it, buy "Certified Organic" products.
Otherwise, you can be sure it has at least some GMO corn

Quote:

Potential Health Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods

You do realize that whole site is one big sales pitch for those books?

Beowulf · #9 04/13/12, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Between 80 and 90% of all the corn grown in this country is GMO, yet they have to do "studies" in India and the Phillipines to find "proof" of problems?

There is NO actual proof GMO's are causing health problems in animals or humans

Labeling won't make any difference at all.

Grain dealers can't test EVERY kernal of corn to assure it's NOT GMO, so they would just simply say "MAY contain GMO grain" on every product to cover themselves.

If you don't want it, buy "Certified Organic" products.
Otherwise, you can be sure it has at least some GMO corn

You do realize that whole site is one big sales pitch for those books?

To be fair, there have not been any extensive studies, either. Most popular GMO corn being grown in the US is on waiver from the USDA, and well over due for the studies that they were supposed to be supplying to the government in exchange for those waivers.

I'm not stating that GMOs are evil. I'm just saying that they have not been studied enough to be a part of our food chain, and I don't feel like being a guinea pig.

Personally, I have less problem with GMOs themselves than with the way that Monsanto enforces their patent rights.

**mygoat** · #10 04/13/12, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beowulf

To be fair, there have not been any extensive studies, either. Most popular GMO corn being grown in the US is on waiver from the USDA, and well over due for the studies that they were supposed to be supplying to the government in exchange for those waivers.

I'm not stating that GMOs are evil. I'm just saying that they have not been studied enough to be a part of our food chain, and I don't feel like being a guinea pig.

Personally, I have less problem with GMOs themselves than with the way that Monsanto enforces their patent rights.

How long of a study is wanted? GMO's were first approved for large scale production in ag in 1990's. So about 20 years they've been on the market now.

Thats TONS of generations of pigs (very close to humans with fast generation time) that have been raised on GMO food. Also tons of generations of poultry. That's several generations of cattle, goats, horses, and sheep which have slower generation times of swine/poultry. And people have been consuming GMO grains, living close to GMO crops, eating livestock raised on GMO crops - that entire time.

I totally agree with your point on Monsanto. I also think we overuse pesticides/herbicides or make our own backyard concoctions of these things that are decimating insect and other animal populations. But I don't think that GMO plants are doing any harm definitive enough to make it problematic, at least not with the information thus far.

Bearfootfarm · #11 04/13/12, 01:44 PM

Quote:

I have less problem with GMOs themselves than with the way that Monsanto enforces their patent rights

Most of that is hype too.

They've only filed 144 lawsuits since 1997, and have NEVER sued any certified Organic farms.

Most of the suits were for "saved seed" and not "cross pollination"

NON GMO farmers actually benefit from lower pest levels due to BT corn

Judge Dismisses Organic Farmers' Case Against Monsanto : The Salt : NPR

Quote:

February 27, 2012
A New York federal court today dismissed a lawsuit against agribusiness giant Monsanto brought by thousands of certified organic farmers. The farmers hoped the suit would protect them against infringing on the company's crop patents in the future

Quote:

Instead, the judge found that plaintiffs' allegations were "unsubstantiated ... given that not one single plaintiff claims to have been so threatened." The ruling also found that the plaintiffs had "overstate[d] the magnitude of [Monsanto's] patent enforcement." Monsanto brings an average of 13 patent-enforcement lawsuits per year, which, the judge said, "is hardly significant when compared to the number of farms in the United States, approximately two million

hardworkingwoman · #12 04/13/12, 02:52 PM

This woman will answer your questions on GMO and the food supply. She is very interesting and knows her stuff. She is educational. Enjoy I hope. I am curious to your thoughts. Is this hijacking? Let me know so I can put this somewhere else. thanks!

more info on her
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandana_Shiva

InHisName · #13 04/13/12, 03:04 PM

Thanks for all the input- I can see it will take a bit of study, and personal choice. Appreciate the links....

sammyd · #14 04/13/12, 09:26 PM

We have not had any stillborn kids or birth defects in the 5 years or so we've been at this. We do feed and grow GMO corn. It is really a nonissue.

Pony · #15 04/14/12, 09:10 PM

After reading the Euro studies, yes, GMO is an issue for me, but not for stillborn. My concern is fertility. A Russian study particularly showed high incidence of infertility. I also have concerns about cross-contamination with wild as well as cultivated species.

**Ross** · #16 04/14/12, 09:17 PM

I havn't noticed a link between GMO corn and problems I had problems before and after good and bad years regardless. That said I'd rather feed OP and heritage varieties if I could. Well i could and I still don't, so some soul searching is needed I guess.

Bearfootfarm · #17 04/15/12, 01:42 AM

Quote:

I also have concerns about cross-contamination with wild as well as cultivated species.

There really aren't that many GMO crops that have "wild" species to cross with

Pony · #18 04/15/12, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

There really aren't that many GMO crops that have "wild" species to cross with

Oh, well, as long as there aren't THAT many...

Srsly?

How many is too many? Unless we know the long-term impact, one is too many IMO.

Alice In TX/MO · #19 04/15/12, 07:41 AM

Personally, I think we ARE seeing the impact of what we have done to our foods in the increase in autism and other problems in children.

Pony · #20 04/15/12, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Personally, I think we ARE seeing the impact of what we have done to our foods in the increase in autism and other problems in children.

Not to mention infertility issues, immune disorders, etc...