Deformed Farm Animals: Are GMOs to Blame?

The vast majority of our nation’s meat and dairy comes from livestock raised on GMO feed. This increase in GMO-fed livestock, however, has resulted in an upswing of reports alleging that animals fed genetically modified crops suffer from a high rate of birth defects, deformities, and other health issues.

In one instance, a Danish pig farmer reported that his swine were suffering from severe diarrhea, stomach ulcers, deformities, and bloating. After switching his animals from herbicide-sprayed GMO soy to non-GMO, however, the abnormalities vanished. The farmer attributes the health problems to glyphosate, the active ingredient in biotech giant Monsanto’s best-selling “Roundup” herbicide.

Although glyphosate is approved and regulated by both the FDA and EPA, independent studies have linked the herbicide to birth defects and deformities in lab animals. Glphosate levels in GMO corn have been deemed toxic, and American water has been tested with 7,000 times more glyphosate than the amount believed to cause animal organ damage. Additionally, a Danish study found high levels of glyphosate in cows’ blood and urine, and determined that the chemical could lead to liver, kidney, and muscle toxicity.

Professor Monika Kruger of Leipzig University in Germany is one of many scientists who believe that glyphosate is dangerous. She detected glyphosate in samples of store-bought meat, and claims that the herbicide can cause bovine botulism. “A lot of livestock are ill and nobody is interested,” Kruger told Off The Grid News. “In most cases the highest concentrations come from GM products like soya, rapeseed and corn.”

Concerned critics claim that European industry regulators have been aware of these side effects since the 1980s, but refuse to take action or even inform the public. This is especially troubling because Roundup is the world’s most widely used herbicide. In fact, Roundup brings in more than 60 percent of Monsanto’s income, thanks in part to the development of Roundup-resistant GMO crops. Glyphosate is now ubiquitous in our environment, and unless swift and strong action is taken, the herbicide and its many disastrous consequences will continue to expand.

 Image Source: Montgomery County Planing Commission/Flickr