US Mad Cow Animal Born in Texas, First Native Case
Date: 30-Jun-05
Country: USA
The US beef cow is the first US-born animal infected with the brain-wasting disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
The only other BSE case in the United States, found in late 2003, was a Washington state cow imported from Canada.
Dr. John Clifford, chief veterinarian for the USDA, told reporters that DNA testing had traced the Texas herd where the infected beef cow was born. Texas animal health officials have placed a hold order on the animals.
The USDA has begun to identify offspring and herdmates that were born within a year of the infected cow, he said.
"Experience worldwide has shown us that it is highly unusual to find BSE in more than one animal in a herd or in an affected animal's offspring," Clifford said.
Industry groups said these latest results showed US firewalls for finding the disease were effective.
"It really doesn't matter what state the animal was from. It didn't enter the food supply," said Janet Riley of the American Meat Institute.
"The system worked -- the case was detected."
After a battery of complex testing, US and British scientists on Friday confirmed that the beef cow was infected with the brain-wasting disease. Meat from the animal did not enter the human food supply, the USDA said.
The "downer" cow was discovered and incinerated at a pet food plant in Waco, Texas, the USDA said.
USDA declined to specify the town where the animal's birth herd was located. "We feel that is protected information," Clifford said.
Texas beef producers said in a statement they supported and followed the government safeguards.
"Our top priority has always been providing consumers, as well as our own families, with the safest beef in the world -- our livelihood depends on it," they said.
HERDMATES AND OFFSPRING
If the age of the animal's herdmates cannot be determined, officials will expand their investigation to include all herdmates and offspring born before the 1997 feed ban.
In the Washington state case, the USDA located less than half of the infected animal's 81 herdmates after a one-month investigation.
Some consumer advocates criticized the USDA for not disclosing all the information in the Texas case.
"I really am surprised they won't release the information about the source of the animal," said Carol Tucker Foreman, food policy director for Consumer Federation of America.
"All the way through this, they've done everything to protect the cattlemen."
Clifford said the cow likely contracted the disease by consuming infected feed prior to the implementation of a 1997 government ban on recycling remains into cattle rations.
The USDA said it was working with the Food and Drug Administration to find the facility that produced the infected feed.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association said solid prices for cattle since the discovery of this latest case demonstrated that consumers confidence in the product remained high.
"Animal health is protected and so is human health. And we think that's really been reflected in the marketplace," said Bryan Dierlam, executive director, government affairs for the group.
"Prices this week have been very strong and beef demand over the past several days has really been strong as well."
