Tyson Foods announced it will stop buying cattle fed with the growth additive Zilmax in order to protect the animal's welfare. The additive can add up to 30 pounds to the average steer, and Reuters reports that some cattle appeared to have had trouble walking with the added weight. The company is currently the only large packer that has announced plans to remove the additive from its operations.
Tyson Food sent a letter to all feedlot operators saying it would suspend purchases of Zilmax-fed cattle beginning September 6 after some of the animals arrived at its plant lame and had problems moving. Tyson said it was unsure what caused the problems, but added that some animal health experts suggested a possible link to Zilmax, also called zilpaterol.