Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

Cattle ranchers are facing some puzzling—and, at times, economically devastating—problems with pregnant cows and calves.At some facilities, high numbers of fetuses are aborting for no apparent reason. Other farmers successfully raise what look to be normal young cattle, only to learn when the animals are butchered that their carcasses appear old and, therefore, less valuable. The bottom line: Farmers pocket only a fraction of the anticipated profit for their livestock.At present, no one knows what’s behind either syndrome, notes Michael J. Fields, an animal scientist at the University of Flori...

It may sound like a barbecue chef’s dream: fish that won’t catch fire and char when their fat spatters onto overly hot charcoal. But the facts are less appealing. Although many U.S. fish contain fire retardants, they won’t protect your grilled fare from burning. In fact, these compounds, which go by the name of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, are industrial pollutants. Emerging data suggest that PBDEs are probably hormone-mimicking poisons—a nutritional nightmare instead of a culinary dream.To many environmental scientists, PBDEs represent just the latest addition to a growing alphab...

It may sound like a barbecue chef’s dream: fish that won’t catch fire and char when their fat spatters onto overly hot charcoal. But the facts are less appealing. Although many U.S. fish contain fire retardants, they won’t protect your grilled fare from burning. In fact, these compounds, which go by the name of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, are industrial pollutants. Emerging data suggest that PBDEs are probably hormone-mimicking poisons—a nutritional nightmare instead of a culinary dream.To many environmental scientists, PBDEs represent just the latest addition to a growing alphab...

It may sound like a barbecue chef’s dream: fish that won’t catch fire and char when their fat spatters onto overly hot charcoal. But the facts are less appealing. Although many U.S. fish contain fire retardants, they won’t protect your grilled fare from burning. In fact, these compounds, which go by the name of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, are industrial pollutants. Emerging data suggest that PBDEs are probably hormone-mimicking poisons—a nutritional nightmare instead of a culinary dream.To many environmental scientists, PBDEs represent just the latest addition to a growing alphab...