Alberta cow positive

[mb_rancher]

ALBERTA COW TESTS POSITIVE FOR BSE
OTTAWA, July 13, 2006 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a 50-month-old dairy cow from Alberta. The animal was first reported on Monday, July 10, based on preliminary test results. The entire carcass has been incinerated and did not enter the human or animal feed systems.

The CFIA has located the birth farm, and investigators are tracing other cattle born on the premises within 12 months before or after the birth of the affected animal.

Given its age, the affected animal was exposed to BSE after the 1997 implementation of Canada’s feed ban. This scenario, as well as the animal’s age, is consistent with the experiences of most countries reporting cases of BSE. Nonetheless, a full accounting and determination of how this animal was exposed to BSE will be the primary focus of the CFIA’s investigation. The CFIA has extended an invitation to American animal health officials to participate in this effort.

With a view to accelerating the eradication of BSE from Canada, the CFIA announced on June 26, 2006, further enhancements to prevent specified risk material (SRM) from entering the animal feed system, pet food and fertilizers. SRM are tissues known to contain concentrated levels of the BSE agent in infected cattle. These tissues have been removed from all cattle slaughtered for human consumption since 2003. This key public health protection is internationally recognized as the most effective way to protect the safety of food from BSE.

This animal, along with all previous cases, was detected through the national surveillance program, which targets the highest risk animal populations. The program is intended to establish the prevalence of the disease and continues to indicate that only a very low level of BSE is present in the national cattle herd. Canada has monitored its cattle for BSE since 1991. Starting in 2003, the number of animals annually tested sharply increased. During the same period, the CFIA, provinces and industry have collaborated to promote awareness and encourage reporting of potential BSE cases, which is an important factor in domestic and international confidence.

The CFIA continues to receive excellent cooperation from the owner of the affected animal and the Province of Alberta. Information obtained through the investigation will be posted to the CFIA’s website as details become available.

[silverback]

Hmmm, another dairy cow hey?

[food4u]

Very strange. Another cow in western Canada. Poor cleaning of feedmill equipement in the west or more of the three "S's"(shoot,shovel and shut up) in the eastern herds.

[Rodjam]

Or maybe it ain't the feed like the scientist guess it is.

[grassfarmer]

More likely different soil types and mineral contents thereof.

[cattleman2]

Dairy cow so may have never seen the green grass outside???

Also maybe we should be saying that this is an ATYPICAL case, therefore shouldn't be a worry, as it didn't come from the feed stuffs. Spontaneous case...

[coppertop]

The USDA is sending folks up to investigate because the cow was born after the feed ban came into effect. I am thinking that producers kept feeding stuff because they had it around and didn't want to dispose of it and take the loss.
This one will likely make the chance of our OTM cattle moving across the border in the near future very slim.

[grassfarmer]

Cattleman2, I assume she would eat at least some home grown forage in the form of hay or silage?

Coppertop, I absolutely would not lay the blame on the shoulders of the producers, that happened in Europe and was appalling. First of all it was "greedy farmers feeding animal remains to other cows" in fact feed manufacturers were incorporating bonemeal in pellets without telling customers that. When the feed ban(the second one, in 1996 after the 1988 one failed to slow down cases) didn't stop new cases it was "farmers breaking the feedban by feeding old feed" - as with this case how many dairy farmers are feeding pellets made in 1997 to their cattle in 2002? it would be stale at a year old let alone 5 years old.
Always the farmer is to blame - what a pile of crap! If liability could have been proven in Europe it would have happened 10 years ago - it didn't because they still have no clue as to the real cause or who is liable. Well actually there is strong suspicion but it points liability towards Governments and big agrochemical giants so no action is taken. After feedban cases have not been a problem in Europe as the BSE problem had fallen out of the public eye before they occurred there is no reason why things should be any different here.

[coppertop]

grassfarmer, I am sure that improper cleaning of bins at feed mills could contribute to the problem, as well as possibly not cleaning feed storage bins on farms, and whether or not the feed supply is the cause of this latest case of BSE is yet to be determined.