Documents recently released by the United States Department
of Agriculture and reported by Reuters news agency indicate it was not the only
case of cattle with missing hooves.
All of these cattle arrived at packing plants during hot
weather.
Merck withdrew Zilmax from the market after other packers
joined the ban and has undertaken more trials.
Veterinarians are divided in their opinions about the safety
of Zilmax, judging by interviews reported by Reuters. Some believe that Zilmax
alone is not the issue, but that it’s a combination of factors that results in
the painful loss of hooves.
Zilmax remains on the list of approved feed additives in
both the United States and Canada, but Merck’s decision to withdraw it from the
market has given the regulators time to assess the situation.
