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As Corn Prices Jump, Cattle Fed Candy

...at least that's what one Kentucky rancher is doing
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 22, 2012 11:24 AM CDT

If you're wary of the antibiotics and hormones fed to America's cattle, brace yourself: Some of them are also being fed candy. WPSD reports on one Kentucky rancher's "solution" to the exploding price of corn. The owner of Mayfield's United Livestock Commodities explains that "just to be able to survive, we have to look for other sources of nutrition" for his 1,400 cattle. The solution? Candy, mixed with an ethanol by-product and mineral nutrient.

Though the diet is a fattier one than the animals previously consumed, Joseph Watson says there have been no ill side effects noted, and they're putting on the appropriate amount of weight. He gets the sugary sweets at a discount: They're rejects the candy companies won't sell to the public. (More corn stories.)

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