Finally a study on the effects of some GMOs (genetically modified organisms) on animals! This is a hot topic for me and the effects of GMOs on us too.This past year, the International Journal of Biological Sciences published an article on A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health They performed studies of several varieties of GM corn on rats with deletorious results. The article is lengthy, but worth reading.
Another article on some effects of GMOs on animals from Natural News titled: Genetically Modified Organisms are Unfit for Consumption points out: In the animal studies that have been conducted, some noteworthy findings have been discovered about GMOs:
Female rats fed genetically modified soy saw most of their babies die within three weeks compared to the 10% death rate experienced by rats fed natural soy. The babies that survived in the genetically modified-fed control group were also born smaller and had problems getting pregnant later on.
Male rats fed genetically modified soy experienced a change in testicular color from pink to dark blue, as well as altered young sperm and significant changes in their DNA.
Indian buffalo that consumed genetically modified cottonseed experienced various birthing complications including infertility, abortions, premature delivery, and prolapsed uteruses. Many of the calves that survived birth died shortly thereafter.
In the United States, about 24 farmers reported that their pigs became sterile after consuming genetically modified corn.
Genetically modified corn and cotton, purposely engineered to create their own built-in pesticide called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), have been indicted in several studies to provoke intense allergic and immune reactions and death. Since the levels of Bt produced in the plant represent thousands of times more a concentration of Bt than natural Bt spray, the effects are greatly amplified. Shepherds whose sheep grazed on Bt cotton after harvest witnessed thousands of their sheep die. Post mortem examinations revealed severe irritation and black patches in the intestines and liver, as well as enlarged bile ducts. All sheep fed the Bt cotton eventually died within 30 days while those that grazed on natural cotton remained healthy.
Bt corn was also responsible for the deaths of cows, horses, water buffaloes, and chicken in both Germany and the Philippines.
Genetically modified tomatoes fed to rats were shown to cause bleeding stomachs and eventually killed many of the rats.
These are just a few examples of the many catastrophic effects of using genetically modified organisms as food. And another article on WebMd it notes that if animals are given a choice they won't eat GM feeds on their own. What do they know that we don't?
Yet one more thing to point to from SafeAge.org :
How does genetic engineering affect animal welfare?
Cows injected with a genetically engineered Bovine growth hormone to increase milk production live shorter lives and suffer higher incidence of lameness, mastitis and reproductive health problems. Cloned and genetically engineered animals have staggering failure rates, a euphemism that hides a greater than 99 percent mortality. Dolly was one success out of 245. GE fish have become deformed, their flesh has turned green and many other health problems have occurred. There is a very strong lobby pushing for GE fish and these may be the first GE animals to arrive on your table. Yay mom, green wartery fish tonight.
Should animals be patented?
Monsanto applied for a patent for a pig bred in 160 countries. The patent is for specific parts of the genetic amterial of the pigs which Monsanto's researchers have decoded. If this patent is granted, pig breeding would be possible only with the approval of Monsanto. See the movie: Patent for a Pig?
I don't know about you, but all this is and has been very disturbing to me for some time now. I continue to do my best to avoid using mainstream products in my house and in my foods for myself or my pets. The three major grains (now owned by Monsanto) that are very much in all our commercially produced foods are Corn, Soy and Wheat. Based on the description, and knowing that usually biotoxins or fish genes into vegetables are used to splice into a genetic sequence to promote the organism to be more immune to frost or pests, why would I want to eat it? Animals usually are much smarter than we are about foods. Ok, that sounds about as clear as mud. Let me put it to you from this viewpoint, our bodies, our genes recognize specific genetic sequences in our original foodstuffs as nutrtion and therefore to be used to nourish our bodies and help with bodily processes. When that original genetic sequence is no longer what it is meant to be, our body throws up a red flag that this is not considered nutrition and therefore needs to be considered a toxin, thereby stimulating our immune response. When we continue to ignore our body's response to the toxin, and keep feeding the toxin to ourselves, the body becomes overwhelmed and we start developing cancers, autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiency problems. We wonder why we see an increase in these things not only in ourselves but our pets as well. We are seeing an increase of diseases, such as thyroid disorders, diabetes, neurological problems, depression, celiac's disease, food allergies and intolerances, and the list goes on. These increases have begun in the early to mid 90's. Ok, so this makes sense to me as this is about the time that GMOs became more mainstream into our food supply and they were fully approved for animal feed.
I don't know about you, but for me it is so worth it for my health and that of my beloved pets to do my best to ensure that we consume as little of these that we can. Buying locally grown and raised products that are organic help. That and helping the push to pass into law the labeling of GMOs within our foods.
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