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Veterinary Services on top of mad cow concern
Web Posted - Fri Mar 02 2007
By Sherlock Small
Concerned about mad cow disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE) and other possible threats, Barbados Veterinary Services Department will be keeping a close eye on Canadian bred heifers from the time they arrive in Barbados and for the rest of their natural lives. Veterinary Officer, Dr. Rosina Maitland, told the Barbados Advocate there was a strict Memorandum of Understanding detailing the dos and donts with regard to the Canadian heifers.
The Barbados Advocate understands that amongst other stipulations, the animals can never be culled for beef purposes, and even their male offspring are to be destroyed and buried, although the females can continue in the milking herds.
There is no concern with the milk, there never has been a concern when it comes to that, Maitland said. There will otherwise be strict controls in place. There is a Memorandum of Understanding concerning these animals. This was something signed between the importer and the Veterinary Services Department. It is a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the procedure involved in handling these animals, where they can go and where they cant go, it is a whole protocol. So we are trying our best to protect everything, and to cover all loopholes.
Maitland did not indicate there was any cause for worry, noting that it was procedure which had always been in place allowing the Vet Services to set importation conditions, and conditions for testing for certain diseases. After being quarantined for over a month in Canada, the animals will be quarantined for a month in Barbados after arrival. Just to ensure that the animals are kept certain places, and if anything goes wrong with them, it is able to be handled. Because of our concern we are trying to address things, and mostly people are talking about BSE, so these animals would never be allowed to go into the food chain, you cant cull them out and use them for meat.
Maitland added that with more animals expected to be arriving in Barbados if more of the islands milk shippers follow suit, the task of the Veterinary Services Department will be significantly increased. She said to facilitate increased monitoring Vet Services would work closely with the farms regularly visiting veterinarian.
Stephen Williams, Manager of CO Williams Farms, importers of this shipment of 80 Canadian heifers, said they were well aware of the strict importation and monitoring guidelines.
There are very strict identification tags on them. And in the event that they reach the end of their useful lives, they will go straight into the ground. They will not be sold as beef or anything like that, he said.
Williams said the calves would have to be monitored as well. He said if the offspring were heifers, they would be kept in production, but if the calves turned out to be bulls, they would go straight into the ground. Thats the assumption I am acting on right now subject to confirmation from veterinary services, Williams said.
Web Posted - Fri Mar 02 2007
By Sherlock Small
Concerned about mad cow disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE) and other possible threats, Barbados Veterinary Services Department will be keeping a close eye on Canadian bred heifers from the time they arrive in Barbados and for the rest of their natural lives. Veterinary Officer, Dr. Rosina Maitland, told the Barbados Advocate there was a strict Memorandum of Understanding detailing the dos and donts with regard to the Canadian heifers.
The Barbados Advocate understands that amongst other stipulations, the animals can never be culled for beef purposes, and even their male offspring are to be destroyed and buried, although the females can continue in the milking herds.
There is no concern with the milk, there never has been a concern when it comes to that, Maitland said. There will otherwise be strict controls in place. There is a Memorandum of Understanding concerning these animals. This was something signed between the importer and the Veterinary Services Department. It is a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the procedure involved in handling these animals, where they can go and where they cant go, it is a whole protocol. So we are trying our best to protect everything, and to cover all loopholes.
Maitland did not indicate there was any cause for worry, noting that it was procedure which had always been in place allowing the Vet Services to set importation conditions, and conditions for testing for certain diseases. After being quarantined for over a month in Canada, the animals will be quarantined for a month in Barbados after arrival. Just to ensure that the animals are kept certain places, and if anything goes wrong with them, it is able to be handled. Because of our concern we are trying to address things, and mostly people are talking about BSE, so these animals would never be allowed to go into the food chain, you cant cull them out and use them for meat.
Maitland added that with more animals expected to be arriving in Barbados if more of the islands milk shippers follow suit, the task of the Veterinary Services Department will be significantly increased. She said to facilitate increased monitoring Vet Services would work closely with the farms regularly visiting veterinarian.
Stephen Williams, Manager of CO Williams Farms, importers of this shipment of 80 Canadian heifers, said they were well aware of the strict importation and monitoring guidelines.
There are very strict identification tags on them. And in the event that they reach the end of their useful lives, they will go straight into the ground. They will not be sold as beef or anything like that, he said.
Williams said the calves would have to be monitored as well. He said if the offspring were heifers, they would be kept in production, but if the calves turned out to be bulls, they would go straight into the ground. Thats the assumption I am acting on right now subject to confirmation from veterinary services, Williams said.
