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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1982)
local Battalion/Page 3 March 12,1982 Camel gets better, humps it to Waco by Susan Talbot Battalion Reporter Have you heard the one about the camel that came to Texas A&M University? After a two-week stay, Pops, a 9-year-old camel from the Cen tral Texas Zoo in Waco, was re leased last week from the Large Animal Center at the College of Veterinary Medicine. He was treated for listlessness and lack of appetite. The dromedary, or one humped camel, is ridden in some parts of the world and is generally swifter than the Bac- trian, or two-humped, camel. Dr. Charles D. Brown, associ ate professor of small animal medicine and surgery, was in charge of the camel during its stay. Brown, who teaches a course in exotic animals, said the camel was probably suffering from a vitamin deficiency, but no one was certain why it was ill. A special diet was part of the camefs treatment. Brown said the camel wasn’t completely well, but was eating and appa rently on its way to recovery. Fourth-year veterinary stu dents observed and helped with the animal’s treatment. Brown said the veterinary cli nic treats animals from around the state. Although the clinic usually receives dogs and cows, sometimes it receives more un common animals. For example, the clinic also treated a sea lion last week. Restaurateurs oppose beef grading changes staff photo by David Fisher week from the Large Animal Clinic at Texas A&M University. by Brenda C. Davidson Battalion Reporter Proposed changes in the meat grading system by the U.S. De partment of Agriculture should increase efficiency in carcass beef production, meat special ists say, but the Texas Re staurant Association warns it will lower the quality of beef in retail stores. Beef quality grades are used to describe the maturity of the animal and the different de grees of fat distributed through the lean (muscle) tissue, refer red to as marbling. For steers and heifers, USDA Prime Quali ty grade has the most marbling, followed by USDA Choice, USDA Good and USDA Stan dard. Dr. Jeffrey W. Saveli, assis tant professor of animal science, said consumer demand for lean er beef has prompted the USDA to propose changes that would allow leaner beet to qualify for grades of prime, choice and good. The proposed changes would give the producer an incentive to market a leaner and more de sirable product, Saveli said. Under the current system of meat grading, producers tend to keep cattle on feed longer than necessary so they will grade higher, he said. However, the Texas Re staurant Association opposes the changes. Conn McCampbell, assistant director of governmen tal affairs for the organization, said customers want a steak ordered in a restaurant to be as juicy and tender as possible. Proposed grading changes probably wouldn’t affect the )rice very much, but it would lower the quality, he said. “You will end up paying the same price for a lesser grade of meat,” McCampbell said. Meat grading is an optional service, and some major food chains and grocery stores do not use it. They set their own stan dards for quality and use a brand name to market the pro duct. Saveli said the purpose of the proposed changes is not to lower standards, but to update them. But, problems have occurred because of the different interest groups involved in the issue. Cattlemen want to update the system by reducing the emph asis on marbling. Consumers want leaner beef and producers want a more cost-effective oper ation. Hearings already have been held on the proposed changes. Interested parties have until March 31 to submit written data, views or comments on the prop osal to the Department of Agri culture. shop Dilliord's monday thru Saturday 10-9; post oak mall college station pTl we welcome the American Express® card