Possible Case BSE - Canada

[silverback]

Anyone want to hazard a comment as to how a 6 year old cow comes down with BSE? Born in 2000? Long time after MBM ban! Dairy Cow???

[cowman]

It will be interesting how they explain away a cow born 3 years after the feed ban? I doubt this cow ate any contaminated feed. Probably have to pull out the old "spontaneous" theory on this one?
If you've ever seen the vet take a sample for the rapid test, you have to wonder what is the big deal about testing? After the head comes off it maybe takes 15 seconds to cut out the sample! Test everything over 30 months and get on with it. What is the problem? Oh yea, I forgot the Americans are too damned lazy to bother to ID their cattle!
We decided this spring we will age verify all our cattle and RFID tag them. Of course we have the records to do that. If they ever get the live test thing out at a reasonable cost we'll probably do that too. Probably won't make us any money but then food safety rarely does! It's more about doing the right thing.

[Willowcreek]

Here are some more reactions to the Canadian BSE case- even the USDA spokesman are now saying this may affect the reopening of the border to OTM's..

---------------------------

January 24, 2006


BSE finding in Canada draws mixed response
By BECKY BOHRER
Associated Press

Confirmation of a new case of mad cow disease in Canada on Monday prompted calls by some U.S. cattle industry groups to halt cattle and beef trade until how the cow became infected is better understood. The U.S. secretary of agriculture said suspension of trade is unlikely.

The case, however, could affect whether the government proposes expanding such trade with Canada.

Canadian authorities on Monday confirmed the country's fourth case of mad cow disease since May 2003 - in a cow in Alberta. They said the animal, about 6 years old, reached neither the chain of food for humans nor animal feed systems.


U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, in a statement, said he anticipated no change in trade status, based on information provided by Canada's agriculture minister. But he said agency officials would monitor the situation and work with Canadian investigators.

"I am confident in the safety of beef and in the safeguards we and our approved trading partners have in place to protect our food supply," Johanns said.

The United States allows imports of Canadian beef and cattle under 30 months of age, with restrictions, U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman Ed Loyd said.

Still, some industry groups, such as the National Farmers Union, urged the suspension of beef and cattle trade until more answers about the case emerge. One concern is that the cow was born after Canada, in 1997, banned use of cattle protein in cattle feed. Mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, is believed to spread through feed with certain tissues from infected animals.

Some also question the extent of mad cow disease in the Canadian herd.

"I think this confirms some of the concerns we had all along, that they have a more severe problem in Canada than the U.S.," said Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association.

Chuck Kiker, president of R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America, believes the USDA acted too quickly to restore limited beef and cattle trade with Canada.

"We don't need to jeopardize the beef industry in the U.S. to save the Canadian industry," Kiker said. Last year his group sued to stop cattle and beef trade with Canada, because of mad cow cases there.

The United States has reported two cases of mad cow disease since December 2003, including one involving a cow from Canada.

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association and several U.S. industry trade groups, two of them representing meat packers, said the new mad cow case was not unexpected and points to the effectiveness of the safeguards and surveillance system in place.

The Canadian cattle group said that animal health officials worldwide have noted a likelihood of the detection of a "few additional" cases by that country's surveillance program.

Dr. Brian Evans, Canada's chief veterinary officer, added: "Nobody likes to find BSE, but it's important we actually look for it."

Canadian authorities said it is probable that contaminated feed is the cause of this case. An investigation is under way.

Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., said he will suggest the USDA slow the process of looking at whether to expand cattle and beef trade with Canada "until we know the situation up there." Some restrictions, including those on importation of older Canadian cattle, have been in place since May 2003.

Loyd said this case must be taken into account as officials consider whether to propose lifting restrictions.

[cowman]

Well thanks for the information Willowcreek. And thanks for telling us how sorry you are to hear we have this problem of our darned CFIA being honest! Always nice to know you have our best interests at heart....read my posts about your recent problems with Japan...and reflect on your attitude!
I am sure you are rubbing your hands with glee that you might be able to put a few more Canadian ranchers under!
It is fortunate that your secretary of agriculture seems to have a different view? Today is a different day?
Yesterday we voted in a Primeminister who is PRO-American! That must really distress all you Canada haters? You anti free enterprizers!!!!
I do believe finally we will have two governments who can talk to each other instead of calling each other bastards! Maybe finally we can get down to the meat instead of the bullshit of these trade problems?
Of course that won't satisfy you anti trade types? Or you anti Canada types? But you should be aware...you little protectionists types don't matter anymore.

[Willowcreek]

Boy cowman- You sure are in a cheery, friendly mood...I guess you don't want to know what is being said in the local news down here...

You notice, I hope, that it isn't only R-CALF expressing their concerns- even have USDA officials saying this will have a factor on the border regulations...I'm not sure Johanns is going to get much support with trying to open the border to OTM's, now...May even be another Congressional action blocking it....

As far as I'm concerned, this hasn't changed my opinion one bit--I still think the USDA and FDA need to put in all the feedban rules to protect the US herd- and the USDA needs to implement the M-COOL law so that consumers have a choice to protect the US citizens- Then open her up...

But I forgot- Canadians don't want COOL because they are afraid it won't sell unless marked with the USDA stamp and passed off as a US product- again riding on the shirtails of the industry the US cattle producer built...

[farmers_son]

Interesting post from Willowcreek. I noted the comment “Dr. Brian Evans, Canada's chief veterinary officer, added: "Nobody likes to find BSE, but it's important we actually look for it." I take that as a very diplomatic evaluation of the U.S. testing program. Canada and the United States are not harmonized in their approach to BSE testing. Canada has their BSE Surveillance Program which is testing an incredible amount of the very highest risk animals. This particular cow was part of that program. The cow was exhibiting signs of neurological problems and a brain sample was obtained which turned out to be positive.

Does anyone believe that this same cow would have tested if she had been in the United States. Not on your life! And if she had been tested by mistake, the test would have been lost.

The U.S. is taking the approach that they hide their BSE situation and pretend it is not there. Now that is not to say that their food supply is unsafe because it is safe due to the removal of SRMS plus continuing bans on downer cows at packing plants. However Canada is taking a different approach by seriously targeting its surveillance program to the highest risk cows. Yes we are going to find some by doing that. Does that mean the incidence of BSE is higher in Canada than in the United States. No, what it means is that the United States has probably concealed about 30-40 BSE positives.

[cowman]

Willowcreek: Well I am going to wreck your day because I have never said MCOOL isn't a good thing? Personally I have never said it was bad?
The fact is so little of our Alberta product ever hits your supermarket shelves...why would it matter? And to be fair that applies to your product here?
Willowcreek: I suspect you are not that different than me? We probably have a lot more in common than we are different? We probably have kids and grandkids(in my case) who are westerners at heart? I would assume we both want what is best for our descendants?
Personally, if you close the border till hell freezes over, it won't stop my vision of where I am going, or where my desecedents are going! Fortunately my sun doesn't rise or set on the damned cattle market!... But....my soul does. It distresses me to no end how this thing has divided what should have been.... to what it has become? You and me should be allies...not enemies!
I suspect you are an honorable man? I suspect you have family values? And I suspect you and me could sit down and have a coffee or a beer and get this damned garbage worked out within an hour? I know it is not quite as simple as that, but hey I bet it could be done?

[Willowcreek]

cowman- Now you sound more like the Canadian neighbors I talk to regularly...And I agree we should be working together to free both countries from a cattle and beef industry controlled and dominated by the multinational corporations......

But as has been shown by the last several Inspector Generals Office investigations we are fighting an uphill battle against $billions of government bought influence.....This has been apparent by the fact that one or two very heavily lobbied Congressmen have been able to stop an M-COOL law that has been already signed into law- and Big Bucks from the Packers, Renderers, dairymen, and poultry industry (Tyson) have been able to stop our closing of the feedban loopholes...Sometimes its taken drastic moves to keep from going backwards.....

I said many years ago that if one Canadian rancher and one US rancher could set down with the authority and without the outside dollar influences, the Border Issues could be solved in one day over a bottle of Crown Royal....

I still would like to see a Canadian ranchers group open a repore with R-CALF- with the new leadership, I think the time is right...And its pretty much been proven that dealing with NCBA is the same as dealing with the AMI/Tyson/Cargill etal....

[rkaiser]

If the space monkeys who cannot see the harm that they are doing to the beef industry in general and the puppets who keep acting just the way that the AMI and the packer led USDA want them to - left the daily workings of Rcalf up to ANYONE else, there may be something to your statement Oldtimer.

Could you step aside Willowcreek?

Could you stop your quest to pad the pockets of mutinational packers with your retarded conversation about BSE?

Could you stop beleiving that stomping on anything Canadian will help the producers of Montana?

You may be right cowman, about sitting down to coffee with this Oldtimer and discussing grass or tractors, but his brainwashed noodle is far too lost for any conversation regarding balanced bovine producer economic advancement in Cardston AND Cutbank.

[DieselRam]

To answer the question before on how a cow born in 2000 could be infected:
It only takes 1/1000th of a gram of the infected feed to infect an animal. This small of an amount is indetectible to the human eye. It could have been lingering in some storage containers or bins and infected the cow. This could happen even if the farmer cleaned all the old feed out. To properly disinfect you would have to take apart and sanitize every part,building,and equipment that would have come into contact with the infected substance.

[cowman]

Well the science always said we'd find some more? And its not like the vets aren't out there looking! My local vet says it has become the meat and potatoes of his practice!
Now I wonder though? If we have only found one animal in all the thousands we test, how prevalent was this disease? Just about every farmer knows if he has some old crock or some cow dies, he can get $225 from the local vet?
The other question I wonder about is this? If we find one or two, how come the USA isn't finding anymore? The science say they should...but it isn't happening! Now why is that?

[cowman]

I agree the 4D cow payment has been a cash cow ( pardon the pun) for vets. They get paid to scoop the brain sample plus a good fee for mileage. I wonder how closely some of them stick to the criteria !!
I have an old gal here that weighs around 1800 pounds, she is in excellent shape and in calf, so I am going to 'run her one more year'. The neighbour was over the other day and suggested I have her VET drop by and euthanize the cow so I could collect the $225. Now this cow wouldn't qualifiy on any of the criteria, but the same vet has put quite a few cows down at the neighbours so it makes me wonder!!

[dfarms11]

Just a note on the comment that it is easy money for the vets. Actually it is more of a waste of their time. To our standards as a farmer, yes it is good money, but as a vet charges it is not near enough. Think about it how much they would charge to make a simple farm call to pull a calf or push in a prolapse. $200 . They don't get that from the govt.

[grassfarmer]

Don't they? I'd heard they got more than the $225 after counting time and mileage?

[kato]

Is the Alberta government topping you guys up? In Manitoba the vet gets $100, flat rate, no matter what the mileage is, and the producer gets $75 for the cow.