BSE origin confirmed

[jgstuart]

This is has all the makings of a disaster... pure and simple. The inference by the USDA that the infected cow originated from a Canadian herd which was reported by CNN and subsequently picked up by the BBC World News(both of which broadcast around the world)will undoubtedly leave the perception that Canada is contaminated with BSE. And who knows....it may well be confirmed that the cow in question did come from Canada. I think "Cowman" has it right. He has mentioned in several posts that no amount of spin or half measures are adequate. That the only course of action is to test every animal as is done in Japan. Will it be expensive....of course. Will it challenge our logistical capabilities?...undoubtedly. Is it necessary? That all depends on whether we want a serious beef industry here in Canada. Because, should this infected cow prove to have originated from this side of the border, I'm not sure even our fellow citizens will support us this time.

[jgstuart]

This has all the makings of a disaster... pure and simple. The inference by the USDA that the infected cow originated from a Canadian herd which was reported by CNN and subsequently picked up by the BBC World News(both of which broadcast around the world)will undoubtedly leave the perception that Canada is contaminated with BSE. And who knows....it may well be confirmed that the cow in question did come from Canada. I think "Cowman" has it right. He has mentioned in several posts that no amount of spin or half measures are adequate. That the only course of action is to test every animal as is done in Japan. Will it be expensive....of course. Will it challenge our logistical capabilities?...undoubtedly. Is it necessary? That all depends on whether we want a serious beef industry here in Canada. Because, should this infected cow prove to have originated from this side of the border, I'm not sure even our fellow citizens will support us this time.

[jgstuart]

My apologies for the double post.

[topper]

Raymondb: Please get the story straight, the cow in mention is possibly from Canada but that is still to be confirmed by the use of DNA. There is no possible way of telling when the cow got the disease so all of what you say is bunk.

[topper]

Raymondb: before you get too ticked off, I have to apologize for the last post I didn't notice the "if" at the front of your post. I guess the nerves are a little frayed today>

[kato]

I've been watching news conferences all afternoon, as I expect you all have.

I commend our CFIA vets for their quick response to all this. They came off as being the ones with the professional, and correct responses and behaviours in this whole episode. Their response to the issue is to release information only when you have positive proof, not when someone thinks it "looks" like this is what it is. Announcements like this need to stand up to scrutiny. Too many people's livelyhoods are on the line to be speculating publicly on unproven theories.

There was a government official from Minnesota being interviewed this afternoon on one of the stations, and the spin I got from this was "The cow came from Canada, therefore this is soon to become a non-issue". In the eyes of the American public, it probably will be a 'nothing' story as soon as it is confirmed. (Assuming it is)

The Americans are really hoping they can dump this one on us, as they know that if it is an American cow, the trace will not be nearly as easy or quick as if it was a Canadian cow. I heard one commentator say, "Thank goodness it's a dairy cow, because dairy farmers keep good records." Does this mean that if it was a beef cow, it would be untraceable? I think our neighbours better think that one over, and get on the ball with a ID program.

There is one ray of light here, if it does prove to be a Canadian cow, and I hope our guys at the CFIA have thought of it. I bet they have.

Dr. Evans, when questioned, would not tell who owned the supposed original herd, but did say that it was north of Edmonton. Now...to take that logic a little further, IF it was a Canadian cow, and IF it did come from there, that makes her about the same age as the infamous Angus cow. Now, maybe it's just possible that these two cows' feed records may overlap at a common feedmill. The Angus cow born in Saskatchewan wasn't THAT far away from the Holstein, especially if dealing with a large feed company. Feed and supplements move over provincial borders all the time.

To find a shared feed source would be the key to the whole thing. Imagine this..There are two BSE cows in North America, who were born the same year, and received feed from one feed mill. Talk about a red flag! Dr. Evans hinted at this feed issue in his news conference. He keeps mentioning also, that even if it was feed from Canada, that it was probably sourced in another country. He's diplomatic enough, however not to name that country. I think he has a personal theory that he isn't saying out loud.

Next step...hunt down the other customers from that feedmill at that time and deal with those other potential problems.

The main thing that's keeping us from restoring our trade is the fact that we can't find a definitive source of the infection. In a backhanded sort of a way, perhaps we can now.

There...they said it couldn't be done! A positive spin.

[Muttley]

Well just when many were thinking it was looking up for cattle in Canada.

I figure we are now in for a long haul no matter what the outcome. The world will now say BSE in North America!!!!

Watch the markets drop now!!

[rsomer]

kato: As you point out "Announcements like this need to stand up to scrutiny. Too many people's livelyhoods are on the line to be speculating publicly on unproven theories." There is only one spin that belongs on this. The U.S. is "tagging" the blame on Canada to save their industry.
Lets look at the facts. The downer cow was slaughtered on December 9. On December 23 the USDA announces they have a probable positive. On December 25 British officials confirm the cow had BSE. On December 27 after two days of limit down moves on the CME the USDA announces that oh, by the way, the cow had a Canadian import tag in her ear at the time of slaughter. On December 23 the cow was 4 ½ years old. After Canadian officials point out that the cow that crossed the border into the U.S. was nearly 6 - 6 ½ years old the USDA quickly alter their story so now the U.S. positive cow is older.
If this cow really had a Canadian ear tag in her ear on December 9 how come it wasn’t known to the USDA until today? Although cattle do move north and south across the 49th parallel, the chance that a BSE positive cow would have come from Canada is remote beyond belief. It is also beyond belief that the USDA did not know before today that the cow was of Canadian origin if indeed such really is the case. The UDSA is going to conduct a DNA analysis of the cow's tissues. I would hope the CFIA conducts their own independent analysis.

[grassfarmer]

I agree rsomer, if the cow in question was CCIA tagged as some reports say you can be damn sure the US didn't announce to the world that they had a BSE case if it was so obviously a Canadian cow. The age story does look kind of suspect - if the US thought she was imported mid summer 2001 and was 4-4.5 years old when she was slaughtered she must have been between 18 and 24 months at time of import. If Canadian records show the cattle exported were two years older than that it should be pretty easy to sort out - either she was a bred heifer or a cow that had calved probably twice. It all sounds a bit too convenient too me.
On further reflection this isn't going to let the US of the hook internationally. Even if it proves to be a Canadian cow the case still occurred in the US so they should lose their BSE free status. Afterall the beef went into the US domestic or export foodchain and they have plenty other Canadian cows in their dairy herd so in theory risk more cases. Didn't Canada lose it's BSE free status after the 1993 case that originated in the UK?

[rusty1]

Maybe we should remind the Americans that if it weren't for Canada they would not have any exotics. So all those cattle have Canadian roots.
I agree, if the cow had a CCIA tag - it must have been visible when she died. If the proper people in Canada were not notified on Dec. 10 then tell them to go whistle Dixie somewhere else.
And furthermore if they can prove she had BSE before she was exported to the USA then we will cover their losses.