Testing All Cows

[rsomer]

Ralph Kline has suggested that Alberta test all cows at a cost of up to $30 million annually. See:
http://calgary.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=ca_madcow20040107

[ValueChainFX]

Just below that article is this!
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This move is symbolic, to a certain extent, because cattle slaughtered in provincial facilities are only a fraction of the number slaughtered each year in Canada. Most are handled through federal processing plants.

As well, only beef from federal plants can be exported out of the province or out of the country. Beef processed in a provincial facility stays in the province.

Right now, Canada only requires testing of cows that seem ill as they reach the slaughterhouse door. That was how the Canadian BSE case was discovered.

END OF ARTICLE

We need more Federal kill capacity with "testing"! If the government wants to step up to the plate, let them get on with it!!!!!

[cowman]

It will be a long struggle. Klein has fired the opening shot! Whether this idea catches on will depend on how the Americans react. I suspect old Ralph is upping the ante to put some pressure on America? If they don't get that border open real soon we have this option?
Japan has stated that they will accept our product if we test everything. I suspect the US would not be happy campers if we tried to muscle in on their premium market, via the test? It would force them to test and they aren't interested in going that route. They are more into smoke and mirrors and using their clout to achieve their ends.

[boone]

Cowman: Well maybe it is high time that a veiled ultimatum was given. Such as by March 1st if our live cattle have not become allowable we will proceed as an independent force to test all our cattle with 30 months and over being the cut off for phase #1 and moving to testing all animals in Phase #2. It is time to get up off our knees, and put our hats on our heads.

[cakadu]

It will be interesting to watch what the Australians do with their beef. They export a great deal of it to Japan and were years ahead of the beef market in North America in doing so because they were willing to supply the Japanese with what they wanted.

[pandiana]

Hear! Hear! Boone.

But, we still need kill facilities for cows. More than 60% of all our cows went to the US in the past. We need plants here to kill them.

But, nobody in their right mind will kill cows in existing plants or build a plant in the hope of 'maybe' selling the meat. We need some assurance that we can sell it. Dog food just went out the window as I just heard that the border is now open again for pet foods. Who is going to do this for us...Alberta Beef Producers? CCA? BIC? Canada Beef Export Federation? CCIA?

But, unless their are markets in place, government won't support building or reburbishing plants. I think I hear Value chain saying that producers should step up to the plate and make sure these things happen. Good idea.

But just which of my $2.00 that I have left should I spend?

[cowman]

Well Paul Martin is making noises about trashing the gun control deal, so maybe he could take a few million of that money and build us some packing houses! No need to fire all the people working there, just get them dressed up in white clothes, hand them a knife and tell them to have at her!

[cowman]

I expect all our politicians are hoping the USA will do the right thing. But many countries have said they will accept our beef if we test...for example Russia? Not exactly a small country?
The time isn't right now. We need to let the Americans work through their dilemmas? But if they try to screw us then we need to do what we have to do?
If we need the plants to process our cows then we have to build them or pack it in.
Tom Daeschele is a politician. He needs to get elected and thus keep his place at the trough. We need to understand that his ideas are basically flawed. We have a good product and we CAN SELL IT under his idiotic COOL! Keep the faith!

[kato]

Speaking of the Australians, I wonder if they had a positive animal, how would they be affected by a 30 month rule? Don't they keep their cattle on grass for quite a long time? How old are they when they are finally slaughtered?

Something like that could really hurt if your industry was set up to finish two year olds.

[grassfarmer]

Yes, that would make a mess of fattening 3 and 4 year old cattle as they do in South America, more so than Australia, I think. Personally I think these guys will be OK though as they don't feed any processed feed to cattle at all just in case BSE happens to start that way. Equally they are relatively heavy-industry free in the areas of the country where the cattle live which should ensure they are free from the (probable) real cause of BSE. In S America they have their foot and mouth problems of course!

[pandiana]

Is that true, Value chain, that only downer or sick cows are tested? I am shocked. I thought they random tested a certain percentage of all cows, and it would make sense to test a higher percentage of the sick ones especially if the exhibit neurological symptoms.

[rsomer]

This from the CFIA:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/ahra/bseris/bserise.shtml

A BSE surveillance program has been in place in since 1992, with samples including mature cattle exhibiting signs of neurologic disease from abattoirs and provincial and university laboratories, rabies-negative cattle, neurologic cases submitted to veterinary diagnostic laboratories and universities (tested since January 1991), non-ambulatory cattle (downer cattle/fallen stock) and emergency slaughter cattle. As of January 2002, 7,214 brains have been examined for BSE, and no evidence of the disease has been detected in native cattle by histopathology or immunohistochemistry.

Australia has only had a BSE surveillance program in place since 1998.

[rsomer]

Just a further note: since Australia began testing for BSE in 1998 they have tested a total of 2440 animals to the end of 2002.
In Australia, the surveillance program involves the detailed examination of several hundred cattle and sheep each year with signs of neurological disease which could be mistaken for a TSE.

[cowman]

Well so much for the superior Australian system! If you don't test you don't get BSE. Which seems to have been the American scheme too! Someone screwed up.
I wonder if the Australians are testing to see how much kangaroo is finding its way into their beef products? As in the Jack-in-the-box fiasco?

[ValueChainFX]

Many plants kill downer cattle, and sad to say many of those downers are not tested they are checked by the inspectors before the kill and on the line! Some samples are done but as the story goes what really happens is not always what the rules say happens!

In saying that however, I have seen kills on both sides of the line! The Canadian system is the best I have seen! I don't want to tick any of our US friends off so I also must add that the US system is still good! But when it comes to testing for BSE and general inspection there is always room for improvement especially if our industry hangs in the balance!