I hear that horses are frequently given drugs like phenylbutazone (“bute”), and this often ends up in the meat. Isn that unsafe?
First, it is important to note that veterinary drugs used on horses are clearly labeled with the phrase, “not for use in horses intended for food.” This includes phenylbutazone (bute). Any use of these drugs in a horse that goes to slaughter is contrary to the manufacturer’s recommendations and may violate state or federal laws. In the United States, the USDA performs residue testing on random samples of meat. In 2005 (the most recent report available online), testing for substances including bute, antibiotics, and many other chemicals and drugs revealed no violative residues (i.e., residues that were above acceptable levels). Additional testing may be performed by exporters or importers, to make sure that the meat meets the importing country’s standards. So, although this is a common argument used by horse slaughter opponents, it is just not true that all (or even most) of these animals are tainted with drugs.
