Canada wraps up one of its BSE investigations

OTTAWA – A Canadian cow recently found infected with mad cow disease was exposed to feed containing ruminant meat and bone meal that was produced before the 1997 feed ban.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency completed its investigation into the case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) detected Jan. 2.
Isolated? The investigation has traced the birth cohort, cattle born on the farm one year prior or one year after the infected animal was born.
It also traced recently born offspring and feed to which the affected animal may have been exposed early in its life.
Nine animals from the birth cohort have tested negative for BSE. One other birth cohort animal had tested negative in November 2004.
Most of the remaining animals have been confirmed to have previously died or been slaughtered.
The offspring component of the investigation determined that all calves of interest had died of causes unrelated to BSE.
Ongoing. The investigation into the Jan. 11 case is ongoing. Test results on 33 of the birth cohort animals have been received and all were negative for BSE.
Reviews continue. Agency officials said they will be undertaking a review of the implementation of Canada’s feed ban and expect to release results by the end of February.
Officials from the USDA and U.S. Food and Drug Administration will also conduct a review of Canada’s feed controls.