CHICAGO — National Beef Packing Co. and JBS SA (JBSAY, JBSS3.BR) said Monday they would not change their cattle-buying practices after rival Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN) announced last week it would stop processing animals fed with a widely used animal supplement.
Tyson sent a letter to cattle suppliers on August 7 saying it would stop accepting cattle fed with Zilmax–which promotes weight gain–after receiving animals at some of its beef plants that had difficulty walking, or unable to move. The announcement sparked a rally in CME live-cattle futures as traders said the move could lead to tighter beef supplies.
After days of silence, National Beef Packing, a private company based in Kansas City, Mo., and one of the country's largest meatpackers, issued a brief statement Monday afternoon.
"National Beef places a high priority on animal welfare with cattle in our facilities and we do not plan to change our cattle-procurement practices," the company said.
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