Highway Spill Reveal Wisconsin Farmers Use Skittles To Feed Cows

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After a pickup truck in Wisconsin spilled red Skittles along the highway, it revealed a unique feeding practice used by some farmers to feed their livestock.

The Dodge County Sheriff disclosed on Facebook that the red Skittles were defective candy that were intended as cattle feed. Mars confirmed that these candies were not meant to be sold as they were missing the trademark 'S' symbol, as per the National Geographic. This practice has apparently been used for decades already, according to a local Wisconsin farmer whose identity has been withheld.

Cheap alternatives to corn such as candy and baked goods has been in high demand, especially after corn prices surged in 2012. However, some people raised their concerns on feeding excess candy to cattle. On the county sheriff's Facebook post, most of the comments rejected the idea of having candy as part of the cows' diet. But for Joseph Watson, a cattleman from Kentucky, he believes that candy is more beneficial than corn, as it has a higher ratio of fat for the cows. Watson added that candy isn't just the sole ingredient in the feed mix he uses, according to Live Science.

His idea is backed up John Waller, a professor of animal nutrition from the University of Tennessee. Waller thinks having candy added to cow feed is a viable diet and it's a better alternative than having candy thrown away. Ruminant animals like cows are good at utilizing a variety of feed stuffs, according to Waller.

However, a diet of constant processed sugar might actually harm them in the long run, according to Nicole Civita, a professor from the University of Arkansas. Civita pointed out that feeding cows with high-energy, grain-based feed has negative effects to their gut ecology and create an acidic environment. This can allow pathogens like E.coli survive in food products made from cows, as per the Huffington Post.

Find out more about the red Skittles meant to be used for cow feed here: