After receiving reports of lameness in cattle that had been fed feed containing the weight-gaining additive Zilmax, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the maker of the drug, Merck & Co. to determine the product’s safety. Originally used to treat asthma in humans, Zilmax was approved by the FDA in 2006 and has been used by the cattle industry to add lean muscle weight to animals before shipping them to slaughterhouses. Merck & Co. has announced that it was temporarily suspending sales of Zilmax in the U.S. and Canada and Tyson Foods Inc. has announced it will no longer accept beef from Zilmax-fed cattle after animals were arriving at slaughterhouses lame or having difficulty moving.
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