BSE confirmed in Alberta bull

[grassfarmer]

Cowman there is a lot of bogus nonsense attached to this "infected feed" theory - first it has never been proven that it was the cause of BSE. One big weakness in the theory is where did the first case of BSE originate from if there wasn't any BSE contaminated feed for it to eat? If you speak to a world expert, like Dr Bob Church, it's interesting to hear him explain the most likely cxause of BSE - he says Mark Purdey was probably on the right tracks with the origin of BSE - environmental and mineral levels being the trigger. Bob also believes in sporadic cases and that vectors may play a part in it's spread. There is probably a genetic susceptability level involved with some breeds being more prone than others. However in the case of the UK it was without a doubt spread through feed once we had the initial cases. By feed I mean milk replacer and calf pellets eaten by calves in their first few days of life only. Milk replacer has a very high fat content - that fat came from rendering plants in many cases. Only during these first few hours of life before the absorbent holes in the stomach walls (that allow the passage of the large colostrum molecules) narrow down to a more mature animal size could the BSE molecules sneak in. The talk of feeding ground up bones in feedlot rations to older cattle is all nonsense - it just couldn't have spread BSE. No-one anywhere in the world has proven which company sold "infected feed" as there is no proof this has ever caused BSE. I personally doubt anyone will ever sucessfully sue a feed plant over BSE. You are right though BSE is a disease largely of dairy cattle - it was very much so in the UK and that ties in with the link to milk replacer. I know the first (of very few) cases in the Galloway breed in the UK was in a calf that was orphaned at birth and raised with dairy calves on the large estate where it was born. The ones reared on beef cows didn't catch it. The Luing breed has never reported a case. Willowcreek is spouting his usual BS pretending that this is some Canadian disease - where did USDA track the source of your cases to WK? It's pretty obvious there has been a fair level of trade in calf food between the two countries so of course they have as much, if not more BSE in your herds than we do. Hope that answers your questions Cowman, apologies if my explanation isn't overly scientific.