On Tue, 30 Nov 1999, Hans Kylberg wrote:

> At 19:32 1999-11-29 -0500, Todd wrote:
>
> >I can't think of any reason why a
> >ruminant animal such as a cow should have a problem with grain
> >protein.
>
> Not in very small amount as they can get it in nature. (Remember that
> natural grass seeds fall to the ground as soon as they are ripe. It is
> also possible that ruminants avoid eating the straws with flowers and
> seeds to ensure there will be more grass next season.)
> But in large amounts there could very well be a problem.

Cows don't wait until the seeds are ripe before eating the
grasses.  I agree that in large amounts there can be a problem:
obesity.  What I don't find is any evidence that the obesity is
caused by their reaction to foreign proteins in the grain,
because I don't think they're foreign.  I don't think it works to
say that a protein is non-foreign in small amounts but foreign in
large amounts.

Todd Moody
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