BSE new case in BC June 23, 2008

[Kathy]

Timing is everything.

Just in case all you Alberta ranchers weren't scared enough of food safety issues, you can chew your nails over this newly identified BSE case from British Columbia.


Let's see where this cow was from/raised... If they don't identify the region it was found, that means they are scared of someone making an "environmental contamination" connection. Privacy aside, the exact location is not necessary - the region would be nice to know, Kootenay region perhaps?

link to CFIA notice:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/disemala/bseesb/bccb2008/13notavie.shtml

OTTAWA, June 23, 2008 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a cow in the Province of British Columbia. This case poses no risk to human or animal health since Canada’s stringent BSE safeguards prevented any part of the animal’s carcass from entering the human food chain or any potentially infective parts of the animal’s carcass from entering the animal feed chain.

The animal was detected through Canada’s national BSE surveillance program. The CFIA has launched a comprehensive investigation in an effort to determine the birth farm of the animal.

Canada’s enhanced feed ban, introduced last summer, virtually eliminates the potential spread of BSE through the animal feed chain and places Canada on an accelerated path to eliminate BSE. As the level of BSE continues to decline, the periodic detection of a small number of cases is fully expected in line with the experience of other countries. Concurrently, Canada’s food safety system maintains the highest levels of human health protection.

The national surveillance program, which targets the highest risk animals, has tested more than 220,000 cattle since 2003. The program continues to benefit from very strong producer participation.

The detection of this animal does not affect Canada’s status as a BSE controlled risk country as recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

As has been done with previous cases, the CFIA will update information as it becomes available through the ongoing investigation.

- 30 -

For information:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Media relations: 613-228-6682

ps - you can thank "flounder" at ranchers.net for the quick posting of this article.

[grassfarmer]

Kathy,I’m not worried, it's another non-event in my opinion. As they say "The detection of this animal does not affect Canada’s status as a BSE controlled risk country as recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)." Doubtful if it will make the mainstream news. It was detected because our BSE detection system works, there was no risk to human health - end of story.
I agree with you that the true source of BSE has never been proven but while you may choose to fight that battle life goes on for the rest of the cattle industry. Luckily as with BSE in Europe it seems it can be relatively quickly put behind us in terms of a media scare affecting our beef customers.

"The CFIA has launched a comprehensive investigation in an effort to determine the birth farm of the animal."
Shame we haven't a proper tracking system in place so that it could be traced more easily.

"ps - you can thank "flounder" at ranchers.net for the quick posting of this artic" - oh yes, done with the best of intentions I'm sure!

[Willowcreek]

Canada Continues to Detect BSE in Younger Cattle; New Case Makes 14 Animals Indigenous to Canada

Billings, Mont. – Today, the Canadian Food Inspection Service (CFIA) announced the detection of yet another case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Canadian cattle. CFIA reported that the infected animal was a 5-year-old Holstein cow from British Columbia, Canada, which would mean she was born in 2003.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) points to the reduction in the number of BSE-infected cattle born after the United Kingdom’s feed ban as evidence that BSE is under control in Europe. USDA also insists that Canada’s BSE problem has likewise been decreasing since implementation of its feed ban. In Canada, however, just the opposite is happening. This latest case – the 14th case detected in a Canadian-born cow and the 15th case when Canada’s 1993 imported case is included – also is the eighth case in an animal born after Canada implemented its 1997 ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban, and its seventh case in an animal born after the date of March 1, 1999, that USDA has set for eligibility for Canadian cattle to be exported to the United States.



Canada has detected more BSE cases in animals born after its feed ban than were born before. Additionally, these cases in cattle born after the feed ban are relatively young animals, suggesting they have been subjected to higher doses of infectivity, accounting for the shorter incubation period of the disease, which is known to extend beyond eight years. Additionally, it is now clear that infectivity was circulating in Canadian cattle feed in at least the provinces of Alberta (11 cases), British Columbia (3 cases) and Manitoba (1 case).



“With a 2003 birth date, this latest case represents the most recent birth of a BSE-positive animal in Canada, and it is the second-youngest BSE case detected there as well. This cow was born the same year Canada first detected BSE in its herd, May 20, 2003, which means that BSE-contaminated feed was still circulating in the Canadian feed system after Jan. 1 2003,” said R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian. “USDA is ignoring science by dismissing the mounting empirical evidence that shows Canada’s BSE problem has worsened well beyond anyone’s expectations, and Canada’s cattle herd represents a significant risk to the United States.”


Because this particular cow was born after March 1, 1999, USDA’s new OTM (over-30-month) Rule – put into effect by the agency on Nov. 19, 2007 – would have allowed this cow to be imported into the U.S. long before she began to exhibit clinical signs of BSE.



“It is a near certainty that the U.S. will import BSE-infected cattle from Canada under the OTM Rule, and that these cattle will continue to incubate the disease right here in our country,” Thornsberry pointed out. “To make matters worse, our government is not even testing these high-risk Canadian animals before they enter the U.S. food supply and won’t allow private packers to test them either. This is the epitome of government irresponsibility. ”



R-CALF USA, along with 10 other plaintiffs, believes the public deserves far more protection than that provided by USDA’s relaxed import policies and is challenging USDA’s OTM Rule in federal court. A hearing took place Feb. 19, 2008, regarding R-CALF USA’s request for a preliminary injunction to suspend the OTM Rule until the court can complete its review of the entire lawsuit. At that hearing, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol took the matter under advisement and a decision is still pending.



“After the incredibly long and complicated delay associated with the United States’ attempts to resume U.S. beef exports to South Korea due to that country’s BSE concerns, it is irrational for USDA to continue allowing Canadian cattle into the U.S. that were fed in Canada at the same time BSE was known to have circulated in the Canadian feed system,” Thornsberry said. “USDA has no justification for purposely exposing the United States to this unacceptable risk.”



Thornsberry said that although Congress has failed to step up to provide needed protections against the introduction of BSE, R-CALF USA continues its request to Congress to take immediate measures to prevent the inevitable – the importation of BSE-infected cattle into the United States from Canada.

[Kathy]

The above article states: "Additionally, it is now clear that infectivity was circulating in Canadian cattle feed..."

This is an assumption which makes an ass out of u and me!

If the toxic metals which these animals have been exposed to are in their environment, then it is imparative to examine closely what is happening on these farms (or in the atmosphere they are exposed to).... But, CFIA does not want us to know the location of the finds - because we might associate it with certain activities.... just as CWD in wild deer/elk in Alberta is highly associated with Suffield and CFB Wainwright.

South Koreans are up in arms because of the deal with the USA to resume beef imports. Considering the USA detonated massive numbers of nuclear bombs in Nevada (and the fallout spread throughout the regions down-wind; and the USA military is the biggest user of depleted uranium weapons... I don't blame them. However, meat is much more unlikely to release its toxic metals - as opposed to vegetables and grains. The protein structure actually locks the toxins up, making them less bioavailable.

You are more likely to be contaminated with these toxic heavy metals drinking beer!

ie; the grain fed to these cows could be coming from contaminated soil!

[grassfarmer]

Your R-CALF nonsense gets tiresome willowcreek. BSE is yesterday's battle time to move onto a new protectionist motive.
As to the article itself, I see it is up to the usual R-Laugh standards "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) points to the reduction in the number of BSE-infected cattle born after the United Kingdom�s feed ban as evidence that BSE is under control in Europe. USDA also insists that Canada�s BSE problem has likewise been decreasing since implementation of its feed ban.In Canada, however, just the opposite is happening..."
I think you made a mistake - I think you meant to say "USDA also insists that USA's problem was likewise declining.In Canada, however, just the opposite is happening..." I suppose that's the danger of lying all the time - you get mixed up over what is true, false and R-CALF spin.
You are fooling no-one, the US risk status for BSE (and case #s)are internationally recognised as being equal - you just choose to pile your downer cows into the food chain, untested, with a fork lift.

[Willowcreek]

Yep-- I know Canucks hate R-CALF...But you have to admit it is an organization that fights strongly for its members- US Cattlemen- and issues that effect those members..
Not only have they been right on the fact that the Asians would not take either countries beef without testing-Thru their persistence of getting the border closed to higher risk cattle for a period of time- we in the US saw record high cattle prices - we have succeeded in getting M-COOL implemented- and nearly got a Packer Ownership and Captive Supply Ban into law (which I think will occur easily after January- and the Democrats have more control of the Congress and possibly the White House.)..

What has your ABP/CCA/MSGA/etal, that are tied to the hips of the Packer Cartel, done for you?