subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Tue, Nov 10 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
email this story   E-mail this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Photos


Globe/T. Rob Brown Darvin Bentlage, a rural Golden City farmer, checks cattle as they graze on pasture. Bentlage’s herd is downstream from a lagoon used by a hog CAFO. Bentlage is investigating if wastewater has made its way into a creek used by his herd.

Published May 23, 2008 02:19 pm - GOLDEN CITY, Mo. — Darvin Bentlage has been connecting the dots, and he thinks they could spell trouble for his cattle.

Study: CAFOs affect neighbors’ property w/ Pew Commission study and other CAFO info



By Wally Kennedy

wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

GOLDEN CITY, Mo. — Darvin Bentlage has been connecting the dots, and he thinks they could spell trouble for his cattle.

Bentlage has three Angus herds in Barton County, where the number of hog CAFOs — confined animal feeding operations — is increasing. These CAFOs hold up to 2,500 hogs under one roof. Liquid waste from the hogs is put into lagoons and spread onto nearby farmland as fertilizer.

In 1998, Bentlage purchased 389 acres for his 1,160-acre farm operation and placed an Angus herd on it.

“I put cattle on it in 2000. I never had twins or I rarely ever had twins with three different herds. In 2001, I started having twins from 28 cows. Some were deformed. I have had 11 sets of twins since 2001. That’s way above the national average,” he said.

Bentlage said he should expect one set of twins from a herd of 200. He was getting one set out of 25.

“But what really bothered me was that they didn’t survive and some of them were deformed,” he said. “Only three of the 11 sets of twins survived. They all went full term, but some were born with no front legs or they were born hairless.

“It just seems odd that with the two other

herds I never have twins.”

Bentlage said his herd is downstream from a hog CAFO lagoon, which is 12 to 13 years old, and he wonders if wastewater has made its way into a creek used by the herd with the excessive numbers of twins.

“Lagoons are known to leak,” Bentlage alleged. “I know hog hormones affect cattle. We do embryo transplants. They use pig hormones to get cows to produce more eggs.”

Pew study

Two weeks ago, Bentlage received a copy of a new report by The Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production in the United States.



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story







autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Click here!!

: Special Offer For New Subscribers : 32 buy 1 get 1 free offers

Click Here!



Featured Jobs

ORTHOPAEDIC
Specialist of the Four States is currently accepting applications for the following postiions: Physical Therapist, Occcu...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Transportation

VOLKSWAGEN, 1998 BEETLE,
black, 5 speed, looks, runs and drives great, only 84,000 miles, $3400. 417-621-0850....>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

NO CREDIT NEEDED QUALIFY
for 0 down Own completely remodeled 2/2 16x80 single section manufacturered home, 2 acres, trees, corner lot, large deck...>MORE

1995 16x72 2 BR, 2 BA,
fully furnished, all appliances, 1 owner, beautiful, smoke free, must move. $17,500. (417)423-2385....>MORE

Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE

NO CREDIT
needed qualify for 0 down Own completely remodeled 3/2 16x80 single section manufacturered home, 2 acres, new front deck...>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

CRAFTSMAN
radial 10” arm saw; skil saw 7 1/4”; Singer Featherweight machine; clocks/pocket watches; 7.62-54 rifle, accessories; Ca...>MORE

BASS BOAT, 2005
Lowe aluminum, 17’, 2005 90 hp Mercury, 2006 trailer, excellent shape, low hours. $7,500. (417)776-8846 evenings or 417-...>MORE

10 YEAR OLD BUCKSKIN
mare, 14-hands, broke for anyone, $750; miniature Jack and bred Jenny, $400 pair. (417)434-3700....>MORE

TEA CUP
Chihuahua pup, female, shots, wormed. Information (417)843-2735...>MORE

1993 KUBOTA 1560
lawn tractor, 42” cut with bagger, $800. (417)364-8231....>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

The Joplin Globe Electronic Edition