TX GMO Bermuda Grass Kills Herd

[Guest guest]

NOT good....

Mutated GMO Grass Makes Cyanide, Kills Cattle

http://www.foodrenegade.com/mutated-gmo-grass-makes-cyanide-kills-cattle-2/

June 24, 2012

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latest in sustainable agriculture, food politics & philosophy.

It's the stuff of science fiction or horror, the plot of some M. Night Shyamalan

flick. But it actually happened! And, it was practically in my own backyard. A

field of genetically-modified Bermuda grass that's been happily feeding a Texas

cattle rancher's small herd for the past 15 years spontaneously started

producing cyanide gas, killing 15 of his 18 cattle.

K-EYE TV in Austin, TX broke the story yesterday, sharing how the mysterious

mass death of the herd has prompted a federal investigation. Just a few short

weeks ago, Jerry Abel opened the gate to a field containing lush Tifton 85 grass

and let his herd in for the first time this year. It was a hot Texas day, and

the cattle were eager to chow down on some tall, green grass. The grass is a

genetically-modified version of Bermuda grass. It's higher protein and

specifically designed to be better for feeding livestock, making hay, and

withstanding fluctuations in weather.

Not long thereafter, the bellowing began. Thinking one of the pregnant heifers

was possibly trying to have a calf, they raced to the field — only to find all

the steers and heifers on the ground in agonizing pain.

Choking up, Abel says, " That was very traumatic to see, because there was

nothing you could do, obviously, they were dying. "

The preliminary autopsy report revealed that the GMO grass, which had been

successfully feeding Abel's herd for 15 years, had spontaneously started

emitting poisonous cyanide gas. Right now, they're guessing the mutation was

prompted by the extreme drought Texas ranchers faced last year, although it's

all just speculation.

Watch the video

Local farmers, prompted by the news, have begun testing their own Tifton 85

grasses, only to find that they, too, have fields that are now toxic with

cyanide.

Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture are testing the

various grass samples, trying to determine exactly what caused the mutation.

What does it all mean?

Click to deleteI couldn't help but draw the parallel to the 2008 version of the

movie The Happening, written and directed by M. Night. Shyamalan. In the film,

the plants mysteriously start producing a neurotoxic gas that prompts humans who

get a whiff of it to commit suicide. The message? The plants are angry with us!

They want us to stop destroying the planet!

While I don't believe the Tifton 85 grass is sentient, I do think this recent

turn of events is a warning.

GMOs are dangerous and unpredictable. We need to remember that. If

genetically-modified grass can suddenly mutate and start producing cyanide gas,

then some of the widely-circulated theories about the dangers of the terminator

gene don't seem so unreasonable. Do we really want these unnatural genes

released into the world, where they'll take on a life of their own? Genetic

contamination is real. Plants cross-pollinate. It's natural. It's wild. It's the

way the world works.

We can't continue to assert that genetically-modified plants are safe, are

contained to specific fields, are controlled. It was an illogical argument

before, and in the wake of this most recent news from central Texas ranchers,

it's even more untenable.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Read the full story at K-EYE TV here.

http://weareaustin.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_2393.shtml

Mysterious Mass Cattle Deaths May Be Caused By Random Grass Mutation

A mysterious mass death of a herd of cattle has prompted a federal investigation

in Central Texas.

Preliminary test results are blaming the deaths on the grass the cows were

eating when they got sick.

The cows dropped dead several weeks ago on a ranch in Elgin, just east of

Austin.

Jerry Abel opens the gate on his 80-acre ranch in Elgin, walking on a field of

grass he's been using for cattle grazing and hay for 15 years.

" This is it, a lot of leaf, it's good, grass, tested high for protein - it

should have been perfect, " said Abel.

The grass is a genetically modified form of Bermuda known as Tifton 85 which has

been growing here for 15 years, feeding Abel's 18 head of Corriente cattle.

Corriente are used for team roping because of their small size and horns.

" When we opened that gate to that fresh grass, they were all very anxious to get

to that, " said Abel.

Three weeks ago, the cattle had just been turned out to enjoy the fresh grass,

when something went terribly wrong.

" When our trainer first heard the bellowing, he thought our pregnant heifer may

be having a calf or something, " said Abel. " But when he got down here,

virtually all of the steers and heifers were on the ground. Some were already

dead, and the others were already in convulsions. "

Within hours, 15 of the 18 cattle were dead.

" That was very traumatic to see, because there was nothing you could do,

obviously, they were dying, " said Abel.

Dr. Warner, an Elgin veterinarian who specializes in cattle, conducted the

15 necropsy. Preliminary tests revealed the Tifton 85 grass, which has been

here for years, had suddenly started producing cyanide gas, poisoning the

cattle.

" Coming off the drought that we had the last two years, we're concerned it was a

combination of events that led us to this, " said Warner. " The problem is, we

don't know, and there needs to be some caution exercised until we know more

about the situation. "

Until scientists can determine why this tried and true grass suddenly began

producing cyanide, Abel is keep his livestock far away.

" The grasshoppers are enjoying it now, " said Abel.

What is even more worrisome - other farmers have tested their Tifton 85 grass,

and several in Bastrop County have found their fields are also toxic with

cyanide, although no other cattle have died.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are dissecting the grass to

determine if there might have been some strange, unexpected mutation

----------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------

ETA: Apparently, there's quite a controversy about whether or not the grass in

question should properly be described as " genetically-modified " or as a

" hybrid, " as if those are two mutually exclusive terms. The way I see it, the

word " hybrid " is like the word " flower. " A tulip is a flower, and so is a rose.

But a rose is not a tulip. Likewise, it's possible to have " hybrids " that were

created in laboratories through genetic splicing, and it's possible to have

" hybrids " that were created by YOU when you cultivated your garden plants,

saving seeds and cross-pollinating varieties that perform well where you live.

One is " natural, " and what gardeners and farmers have always done. The other is

unnatural and can have dire and unforeseen consequences.

One Facebook commenter had this to say: " I have a degree in biochemistry. GMO is

simply speeding up or creating a new `hybrid' in a much faster lab setting than

the slow natural (think Natural Selection) setting of nature. Both methods

involve HUMANS intentionally combining genes that wouldn't ordinarily be

combined, or would take hundreds or thousands of years to SAFELY combine. At the

end of the day, it is humans manifesting our arrogance that we have it all

figured out, are smarter than mother nature and somehow know better than nature

does about what's good for us. " I agree with her opinion.

Even if you want to plaster the label " hybrid " on the Tifton 85 grass as if that

makes it safe, you still have to marvel that the creator of this grass variety

didn't think it would matter that a parent cultivar for their hybrid was a known

cyanide-producing African grass. They thought they were " safe, " that they could

accurately predict the outcome of their cross-pollination, that they'd bred out

the tendency for the the plant to produce cyanide under stress. They didn't

mention this potential outcome to their customers because 1) in their conceit,

they never imagined it was possible, or 2) because in their greed, they didn't

want to unnecessarily scare off buyers.

Surely there is food for thought here about the proper role of

commercially-produced hybrids. For example, did you know that in order for a

hybrid plant to be commercially viable, it must be sterile? That's so that the

seed patent owner can sell you new seeds each year. This sterility can be

accomplished naturally through selectively breeding the plants, but more often

than not it is accomplished in laboratories through the marvel of biochemical

engineering (either by using genetic-modification or chemicals to interrupt the

expression of genes). And these are the " naturally-bred " hybrids that everyone

thinks have nothing whatsoever to do with GMOs. There is more to discuss, but I

wanted to update this post with some of the more interesting revelations of the

past day in the hopes of discouraging repetitive comments and encouraging even

more fascinating conversations!

[Guest guest]

I *believe* Tifton 85 is a hybrid rather than a GMO(could be wrong). Actually these grasses are known to become toxic during periods of growth with very little rain(drought conditions), so its really not a surprise. Its happened around here at a dairy where I worked. He ran his cattle on this type of "green-graze" during a drought and lost cattle.

I'm completely against GMO and know it is causing problems in our feeds and livestock. But in this case it looks like it may be a simple case of a hybrid green-graze being grazed improperly.

Not really a fan of the hybrids either.........or green-graze for that matter. Its also toxic if grazed to short/young. Seems a bit too dangerous for my tastes. DixonOzark JewelsNubians and Lamanchaswww.ozarkjewels.net

Subject: TX GMO Bermuda Grass Kills HerdTo: RawDairy Date: Sunday, June 24, 2012, 12:39 PM

NOT good....Mutated GMO Grass Makes Cyanide, Kills Cattlehttp://www.foodrenegade.com/mutated-gmo-grass-makes-cyanide-kills-cattle-2/June 24, 2012If you're new here, you may want to sign up for FREE weekly updates delivered to your inbox featuring Real Food recipes, nutrition & health articles, and the latest in sustainable agriculture, food politics & philosophy.It's the stuff of science fiction or horror, the plot of some M. Night Shyamalan flick. But it actually happened! And, it was practically in my own backyard. A field of genetically-modified Bermuda grass that's been happily feeding a Texas cattle rancher's small herd for the past 15 years spontaneously started producing cyanide gas, killing 15 of his 18 cattle.K-EYE TV in Austin, TX broke the story yesterday, sharing how

the mysterious mass death of the herd has prompted a federal investigation. Just a few short weeks ago, Jerry Abel opened the gate to a field containing lush Tifton 85 grass and let his herd in for the first time this year. It was a hot Texas day, and the cattle were eager to chow down on some tall, green grass. The grass is a genetically-modified version of Bermuda grass. It's higher protein and specifically designed to be better for feeding livestock, making hay, and withstanding fluctuations in weather.Not long thereafter, the bellowing began. Thinking one of the pregnant heifers was possibly trying to have a calf, they raced to the field — only to find all the steers and heifers on the ground in agonizing pain.Choking up, Abel says, "That was very traumatic to see, because there was nothing you could do, obviously, they were dying." The preliminary autopsy report revealed that the GMO grass, which had been successfully

feeding Abel's herd for 15 years, had spontaneously started emitting poisonous cyanide gas. Right now, they're guessing the mutation was prompted by the extreme drought Texas ranchers faced last year, although it's all just speculation.Watch the videoLocal farmers, prompted by the news, have begun testing their own Tifton 85 grasses, only to find that they, too, have fields that are now toxic with cyanide.Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture are testing the various grass samples, trying to determine exactly what caused the mutation.What does it all mean?Click to deleteI couldn't help but draw the parallel to the 2008 version of the movie The Happening, written and directed by M. Night. Shyamalan. In the film, the plants mysteriously start producing a neurotoxic gas that prompts humans who get a whiff of it to commit suicide. The message? The plants are angry with us! They want us to stop destroying

the planet! While I don't believe the Tifton 85 grass is sentient, I do think this recent turn of events is a warning.GMOs are dangerous and unpredictable. We need to remember that. If genetically-modified grass can suddenly mutate and start producing cyanide gas, then some of the widely-circulated theories about the dangers of the terminator gene don't seem so unreasonable. Do we really want these unnatural genes released into the world, where they'll take on a life of their own? Genetic contamination is real. Plants cross-pollinate. It's natural. It's wild. It's the way the world works. We can't continue to assert that genetically-modified plants are safe, are contained to specific fields, are controlled. It was an illogical argument before, and in the wake of this most recent news from central Texas ranchers, it's even more untenable. ----------------------------------------------------------Read the full story at

K-EYE TV here.http://weareaustin.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_2393.shtmlMysterious Mass Cattle Deaths May Be Caused By Random Grass Mutation A mysterious mass death of a herd of cattle has prompted a federal investigation in Central Texas.Preliminary test results are blaming the deaths on the grass the cows were eating when they got sick.The cows dropped dead several weeks ago on a ranch in Elgin, just east of Austin.Jerry Abel opens the gate on his 80-acre ranch in Elgin, walking on a field of grass he's been using for cattle grazing and hay for 15 years."This is it, a lot of leaf, it's good, grass, tested high for protein - it should have been perfect," said Abel.The grass is a genetically modified form of Bermuda known as Tifton 85 which has been growing here for 15 years, feeding

Abel's 18 head of Corriente cattle. Corriente are used for team roping because of their small size and horns."When we opened that gate to that fresh grass, they were all very anxious to get to that," said Abel.Three weeks ago, the cattle had just been turned out to enjoy the fresh grass, when something went terribly wrong."When our trainer first heard the bellowing, he thought our pregnant heifer may be having a calf or something," said Abel. "But when he got down here, virtually all of the steers and heifers were on the ground. Some were already dead, and the others were already in convulsions."Within hours, 15 of the 18 cattle were dead."That was very traumatic to see, because there was nothing you could do, obviously, they were dying," said Abel.Dr. Warner, an Elgin veterinarian who specializes in cattle, conducted the 15 necropsy. Preliminary tests revealed the Tifton 85 grass, which has been here

for years, had suddenly started producing cyanide gas, poisoning the cattle."Coming off the drought that we had the last two years, we're concerned it was a combination of events that led us to this," said Warner. "The problem is, we don't know, and there needs to be some caution exercised until we know more about the situation."Until scientists can determine why this tried and true grass suddenly began producing cyanide, Abel is keep his livestock far away."The grasshoppers are enjoying it now," said Abel.What is even more worrisome - other farmers have tested their Tifton 85 grass, and several in Bastrop County have found their fields are also toxic with cyanide, although no other cattle have died.Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are dissecting the grass to determine if there might have been some strange, unexpected

mutation--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ETA: Apparently, there's quite a controversy about whether or not the grass in question should properly be described as "genetically-modified" or as a "hybrid," as if those are two mutually exclusive terms. The way I see it, the word "hybrid" is like the word "flower." A tulip is a flower, and so is a rose. But a rose is not a tulip. Likewise, it's possible to have "hybrids" that were created in laboratories through genetic splicing, and it's possible to have "hybrids" that were created by YOU when you cultivated your garden plants, saving seeds and cross-pollinating varieties that perform well where you live. One is "natural," and what gardeners and farmers have always done. The other is unnatural and can have dire and unforeseen consequences. One Facebook commenter had this to say: "I have a degree in biochemistry. GMO is

simply speeding up or creating a new `hybrid' in a much faster lab setting than the slow natural (think Natural Selection) setting of nature. Both methods involve HUMANS intentionally combining genes that wouldn't ordinarily be combined, or would take hundreds or thousands of years to SAFELY combine. At the end of the day, it is humans manifesting our arrogance that we have it all figured out, are smarter than mother nature and somehow know better than nature does about what's good for us." I agree with her opinion. Even if you want to plaster the label "hybrid" on the Tifton 85 grass as if that makes it safe, you still have to marvel that the creator of this grass variety didn't think it would matter that a parent cultivar for their hybrid was a known cyanide-producing African grass. They thought they were "safe," that they could accurately predict the outcome of their cross-pollination, that they'd bred out the tendency for the the plant to

produce cyanide under stress. They didn't mention this potential outcome to their customers because 1) in their conceit, they never imagined it was possible, or 2) because in their greed, they didn't want to unnecessarily scare off buyers. Surely there is food for thought here about the proper role of commercially-produced hybrids. For example, did you know that in order for a hybrid plant to be commercially viable, it must be sterile? That's so that the seed patent owner can sell you new seeds each year. This sterility can be accomplished naturally through selectively breeding the plants, but more often than not it is accomplished in laboratories through the marvel of biochemical engineering (either by using genetic-modification or chemicals to interrupt the expression of genes). And these are the "naturally-bred" hybrids that everyone thinks have nothing whatsoever to do with GMOs. There is more to discuss, but I wanted to update this post

with some of the more interesting revelations of the past day in the hopes of discouraging repetitive comments and encouraging even more fascinating conversations!