Are There Antibiotics and Hormones in Canadian Beef?

Are There Antibiotics and Hormones in Canadian Beef? 

If you are looking to make better food choices for yourself and your family you have seen the many buzz words and food claims about antibiotics and hormones in Canadian Beef. Here is what you need to know about finding quality beef near you.

Are There Hormones in Canadian Meat?

There are six added hormones, called Hormonal Growth Promoters (HGP) that are allowed for use in cattle in Canada. Yikes! 

HGP’s can be naturally occurring or man-made (synthetic). These HCP’s include hormones that you might have heard of, like Progesterone, testosterone and Estrogen; and three synthetic hormones, trenbolone acetate (TBA), zeranol and melengestrol acetate (MGA) 1

How to Avoid Hormones in Meat?

If you are looking to avoid hormones in beef, move away from conventional grocery store beef and find farms and farm partners to work with. A company should be transparent about the farming practices and where your food comes from. Working directly with farms and farm partners, like Ottawa Valley Meats gives you an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the products that they offer. 

Can Meat be Organic?

You might have seen the Certified Organic on a grocery store beef package; but what does this mean? Organic cattle are not given antibiotics and do not receive added hormones, which is a step above conventional grocery store meat. Unfortunately, organic beef is still raised on a diet of predominantly corn feed and this is not a natural diet for cows. Cows are meant to eat grasses while they graze in pastures and organic beef does not mean grass fed beef.2

Are There Antibiotics In Meat?

Antibiotics are used in raising cattle for three main reasons; to treat a sick animal, to prevent disease in a healthy animal, and to be added to cattles’ feed to speed up growth.. The concern when humans eat meat that contains antibiotics is how these antibiotics affect our gut and immune system health. If you are buying grocery store meat you are also being exposed to these antibiotics unless the product is labeled ‘Raised Without Antibiotics, RWA’

What Does Raised Without Antibiotics (RWA) Mean? 

In order to display the label ‘raised without the use of antibiotics’ animals must not have received any antibiotics at any time, this includes antibiotics given to the mother of the animal in question as well. 3  Ottawa Valley Meats does regular inspections of their farms to ensure this high standard is kept throughout the cycle of the livestock. Should an animal become sick and require antibiotics legally prescribed by a veterinarian for the welfare of the animal, it is segregated and given an isolation period to purge any remaining disease. These are extremely rare cases, and even then are taken very seriously with the livestock’s healthy and well being in mind. 

What You Need To Know:

Hormones can be added to beef in Canada

Organic beef is not the same as grass fed beef

Unless your meat is ‘Raised Without Antibiotics’ or RWA it can contain antibiotics whether it was sick or not

Working with a farm partner is the best way to insure that you are sources quality, grass fed beef without the use of antibiotics and hormones

Written By: Melissa Ieraci, RHN

References:

1. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/veterinary-drugs/factsheets-faq/hormonal-growth-promoters.html
2. https://files.ontario.ca/omafra-organic-beef-production-in-ontario-21-037-en-2022-12-20.pdf
3. https://canadabeef.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/3208_CANBEEF_factsheet_ANTIBIOTICS-2016.pdf