Mad Cow Controversy: How Do We Guarantee the Safety of Our Beef?

Re “Mad Beef Policy,” editorial, July 1: In your editorial you stated a number of procedures the USDA should enforce to ensure the safe supply of beef. I believe that the most important one was omitted.

If one reviews any standard quality control/statistical sampling manual, it will quickly be seen that the Japanese are correct, i.e., the only way to absolutely ensure zero defects (sick cows) is to test 100%. The more the administration insists that a “mad cow” is a rarity, the more a statistician would say that a sample size must approach 100% in order to make any meaningful prediction about the total population. Ironically, if one reviews the Department of Defense manuals for procurement, it would be seen that the Pentagon would not permit such sampling plans for the procurement of munitions as are being used by the USDA. Perhaps there is a message here.

Allan M. Raff

Newport Beach

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I come from five generations of Texas ranchers. I read your mad beef editorial. I agree with your assessments 100%. And I am sure that all real Texas ranchers and all real ranchers everywhere would also concur.

We feed not only the nation, but also our families. It is ludicrous not to immediately implement all the preventive measures your editorial calls for. Thank you for so forcefully bringing this to the attention of your readers.

Hal Trussell

Los Angeles

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After perusing The Times’ editorial I couldn’t help shaking my head and mumbling, “What a cruel and disgusting circle of death.” Effectively, the reader learns that the customary and accepted ways to feed livestock include “the use of cattle blood as a ‘milk replacer’ for calves,” byproducts (of cattle) can ... be put in the feed given to pigs and chicken, “the waste, left after butchering chickens, including their leftover feed containing cattle meal can be fed to cattle.”

The timing for such an editorial was perfect, coincidental with the July 4 weekend, when the embers of millions of backyard pits carbonize slabs of animal flesh. Bon appetit from an ethical vegetarian.

Michele Mooney

Van Nuys