"This is not a pro-vegetarian propaganda film, although the troubling revelations certainly inspire a meat-free lifestyle." Edmonton Sun

FRANKENSTEER is a disturbing yet compelling documentary that reveals how the ordinary cow is being transformed into an antibiotic dependent, hormone-laced potential carrier of toxic bacteria, all in the name of cheaper food.

The beef industry, supported by North American government agencies and pharmaceutical companies, has engaged in an on-going experiment to create the perfect food machine to increase speed of production and reduce the cost of manufacture. But there is a price in producing a cheap industrial product. This benign, grazing herbivore has undergone a radical rethinking in how it's raised, fed and slaughtered, including recent changes in inspection rules have shifted the responsibility for food safety from government inspectors to the people on the floor who do the slaughtering and packing.

FRANKENSTEER reveals some startling facts. Every year 50% of the total tonnage of antibiotics used in Canada ends up in livestock. And every year cattle raised in massive feedlots are routinely dosed with antibiotics even if they are not sick. For public health safety reasons during the current BSE (Mad Cow disease) crisis, North American health officials have labeled certain parts of the cow as bio-hazardous products and have ordered that they be handled accordingly.

And consumers, by and large, are totally unaware of the dangers lurking in their beloved steaks, ribs and, most especially, hamburgers.



Grade Level: 10-12, College, Adult
US Release Date: 2006     Copyright Date: 2005
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-345-5     VHS ISBN: 1-59458-344-7

Reviews "This is not a pro-vegetarian propaganda film, although the troubling revelations certainly inspire a meat-free lifestyle...This documentary serves up a stockpile of disturbing information from sources on all sides of the cattle fence, including an agricultural research scientist, feedlot operators, an agricultural economist, organic farmers, veterinarians and Health Canada officials...The low-budget, straightforward production avoids in-your-face pandering, choosing instead to lay out the details with a simple, no-frills approach." Edmonton Sun "The producers of [Frankensteer] sound the alarm against the increasingly artificial means used to raise cattle for food... they garner a great deal of evidence to support their contention that common foods in the American diet are increasingly risky to consume. Highly recommended for general college and adult viewers." Educational Media Reviews Online "Neither propaganda, nor anti-beef, this video can be utilized in agriculture, health and nutrition, and social sciences classes to stimulate lively debate." School Library Journal "The expert testimony and portraits of human and bovine victims presented here make a strong case for reconsidering the industrial approach to beef in North America. Frankensteer provides an alternative vision... A timely, thought-provoking documentary, this is highly recommended." Video Librarian