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How Many BSE Infected Cows Is Canada Sending to the US???

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August 30, 2006 Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail: [email protected]



CFIA Report Conflicts with USDA Position on BSE



(Billings, Mont.) – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued last week the conclusive report on its epidemiological investigation of a 50-month old dairy cow diagnosed with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) on July 13, 2006, a report that revealed information previously not documented. This animal was born almost five years after Canada implemented its 1997 feed ban on feeding ruminant meat-and-bone meal (MBM) materials back to ruminants.



According to the report the cow did not express symptoms of BSE and died from an unrelated disease. Yet, the cow was detected with a rapid BSE test perhaps eight months before the Canadian testing program would have targeted the animal for BSE testing. The report stated, "The normal disease course to expression of clinical signs in this animal would be expected to have included an additional three to six months of incubation followed by an additional one to two months of clinical expression prior to being recognized as symptomatic of BSE and targeted for testing."



"The revelation that a rapid BSE test can detect infected animals up to eight months before the animal would fit the criteria for targeted testing is not only new news, but groundbreaking news," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.



"This 50 month old Canadian cow would have been only 15 months old when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reopened the Canadian border to imports of Canadian beef in August 2003," he emphasized. "Because scientists believe that BSE-positive cattle are most likely infected during their first year of life, this means that the beef from this cow – an animal which was incubating the BSE agent – was eligible for export to the United States from August 2003 through January 2005.



"USDA has consistently taken the position that BSE testing can only detect infectivity two months to three months before an animal begins to exhibit clinical symptoms of the disease," Bullard said. "In fact, USDA cited its inability to detect BSE more than two months to three months before an infected animal would exhibit symptoms as support for its position that BSE testing is not a food safety issue. USDA stated that 'currently available postmortem tests, although useful for disease surveillance (i.e., in determining the rate of disease in the cattle population), are not appropriate as food safety indicators. We know that the earliest point at which current testing methods can detect a positive case of BSE is 2 to 3 months before the animal begins to demonstrate clinical signs.'



"This development means BSE can indeed be detected through additional testing, long before symptoms begin to appear," Bullard continued. "This would suggest that Canada – if it would dramatically increase BSE testing of its cattle herd – could detect the disease in animals that are not yet exhibiting clinical symptoms, but are destined for the human food chain."



The CFIA report did not definitely identify the source of contamination, but it did conclude that feed contaminated through cross contamination with prohibited material likely was the source of the disease. The report stated that one of the rendering plants implicated in this particular investigation also has been implicated in previous Canadian BSE investigations. Production records at a second facility in question were incomplete and did not allow for the desired level of certainty. Additionally, the report stated, "Because of incomplete or absent documentation, the possibility of cross-contamination during transportation being a contributing factor could not be ruled out."



Although Canada announced on June 26 that it was tightening its feed ban requirements to ban potentially harmful cattle tissues from all animal feeds, a step that would minimize the possibility of cross contamination, the new regulations are not scheduled to take effect until July 12, 2007.



"Back in 2003, USDA's BSE experts and an international team of scientists recommended that both Canada and the U.S. enhance their respective feed systems to protect against the additional infectivity pathways of cross-contamination and inadvertent feeding of ruminant materials to cattle," Bullard commented. "BSE experts have long identified these two situations as likely routes of transmission of the disease.



"There is no way to know how widespread this problem is in Alberta, but we do know that Alberta is a hot spot for BSE infectivity, and most of the Canadian cattle exported to the U.S. arrive here from Alberta," Bullard noted. "Interestingly, the CFIA report acknowledges this case is consistent with the previously identified geographic cluster for the disease, which is Alberta.



"Because of Canada's continuing BSE problems and its decision to postpone for another year regulations to improve its feed ban, there is a very definite possibility that the U.S. has a good chance of importing live Canadian cattle that already are incubating BSE, but showing no symptoms of the disease," Bullard noted. "Another concern is that just last Thursday, USDA announced that cutbacks to our domestic BSE surveillance program would take effect Aug. 27.



"In July 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended strengthening our domestic feed ban, but no action has yet been taken," Bullard he said. "Most recently, FDA officials said they were still reviewing the 800-plus comments on the rule and had not yet reached any decisions on the matter.



"R-CALF USA also is disappointed that CFIA's report revealed that Canada has discontinued its practice of testing for BSE in herd cohort animals, or herdmates, of infected cattle," Bullard concluded. "This is inconsistent with the recommendations of the OIE, which specifically recommends the testing of cattle which have consumed potentially contaminated feedstuffs from countries not free from BSE. There simply is too little known about Canada's BSE problem for Canada not to have tested animals that are believed to have consumed the same contaminated feed as this diseased cow."



# # #



R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization and is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on both domestic and international trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA has more than 60 affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
 
Manitoba_Rancher said:
More Bullard BS!!!

But it sure makes you wonder how many infected cattle and calves were in the truckloads that came in from Canada today....Or how many are in US feedlots? Or were slaughtered in US slaughter houses today?

US producers and the US cattle industry are getting all the risk- while they are receiving none of the gain......
 
More proof that Canadia is not "selective" with what is tested. She was a candidate that fit the 4-D guidelines.
 
S.S.A.P. said:
More proof that Canadia is not "selective" with what is tested. She was a candidate that fit the 4-D guidelines.

Rationalize anyway you like-- If she had been a beef animal she could have very well been shipped to the states infected...Or if she had not became septic from her mastitis and died, she very well could have been culled as a mastitis bad milker- sent to slaughter, and since you test none at slaughter, would be roast beef sandwich today in a Saskatoon cafe or part of a multiton vat of burger being eaten by kids in homes and MacDonalds thruout Canada...
 
Oldtimer said:
S.S.A.P. said:
More proof that Canadia is not "selective" with what is tested. She was a candidate that fit the 4-D guidelines.

Rationalize anyway you like-- If she had been a beef animal she could have very well been shipped to the states infected...Or if she had not became septic from her mastitis and died, she very well could have been culled as a mastitis bad milker- sent to slaughter, and since you test none at slaughter, would be roast beef sandwich today in a Saskatoon cafe or part of a multiton vat of burger being eaten by kids in homes and MacDonalds thruout Canada...

Rationalize anyway you like Oldtimer ... if what you say is true, it is happening 8 times as much in the US.
 
S.S.A.P. said:
Oldtimer said:
S.S.A.P. said:
More proof that Canadia is not "selective" with what is tested. She was a candidate that fit the 4-D guidelines.

Rationalize anyway you like-- If she had been a beef animal she could have very well been shipped to the states infected...Or if she had not became septic from her mastitis and died, she very well could have been culled as a mastitis bad milker- sent to slaughter, and since you test none at slaughter, would be roast beef sandwich today in a Saskatoon cafe or part of a multiton vat of burger being eaten by kids in homes and MacDonalds thruout Canada...

Rationalize anyway you like Oldtimer ... if what you say is true, it is happening 8 times as much in the US.

How did you come up with that?
 
S.S.A.P.--And to top all things- If R-CALF and our Senators had not forced USDA to withdraw the final rule- that mastitis culled BSE positive cow could easily have been shipped into the states for slaughter- and it could be the kids in both the US and Canada eating thousands of burgers today with her infected material in them... :( :mad: :cry:
 
Sandhusker said:
S.S.A.P. said:
Oldtimer said:
Rationalize anyway you like-- If she had been a beef animal she could have very well been shipped to the states infected...Or if she had not became septic from her mastitis and died, she very well could have been culled as a mastitis bad milker- sent to slaughter, and since you test none at slaughter, would be roast beef sandwich today in a Saskatoon cafe or part of a multiton vat of burger being eaten by kids in homes and MacDonalds thruout Canada...

Rationalize anyway you like Oldtimer ... if what you say is true, it is happening 8 times as much in the US.

How did you come up with that?

My apologies Sandhusker, I just assumed that US cull cattle (from a herd approx 8 times the number as Canada) are slaughtered and eaten as roast beef or hamburger.
 
all of oldtimers arguments just support the contention that the us has a bunch of bse. he's worried about what's been imported then get testing and tracing boys and show the world some honest results. the rest of the world knows that the reason testing is being scaled back is because usda is afraid of what they'll find if they ever run an honest, transparent program. problem is we'll probably get taken down with you if the explosion happens.
 
or if you want to believe usda that the us is bse-free then i guess all those canadian cattle you've imported weren't carrying bse either. what's it gonna be r-calfers????
 
don said:
all of oldtimers arguments just support the contention that the us has a bunch of bse. he's worried about what's been imported then get testing and tracing boys and show the world some honest results. the rest of the world knows that the reason testing is being scaled back is because usda is afraid of what they'll find if they ever run an honest, transparent program. problem is we'll probably get taken down with you if the explosion happens.

don- Why should US taxpayers pay the cost of testing a bunch of imported Canadian cattle? ... Especially when no ones starving and they are not needed...Canada should be testing All to prove they are safe for export...

Like I said- US producers and the US cattle industry stand nothing to gain from importing these apparently higher risk cattle-- but they take all the risk of a whole lot to lose....

Most of the Canadians I personally know think that Canada has had a bumbled system from day one...Instead of doling out millions $ (or was it Billions $) in BSE disaster payments to the Packers with the producers collecting the scraps, the Canadian government should have immediately implemented a test ALL at slaughter program, which would have kept Canada from losing most its export markets- they would have a true picture of the extent of the disease- and maybe brought to light earlier some of these feedban violations so they wouldn't have continued on for years, which could create another 10-20 years of BSE cattle- besides possibly putting the industry (and consumers) in much bigger danger if some people are eventually infected with vCJD...

But instead they followed the CFIA plan which was shoved on them by USDA which are just puppets for the Packers/AMI...

Most also feel Canada needs to still go to a test ALL plan for a period of time...

Now Canada sits in a position where they can't even qualify for a controlled risk status and may not for years if they can't prove their feedban is working.....
 
Oldtimer said:
S.S.A.P.--And to top all things- If R-CALF and our Senators had not forced USDA to withdraw the final rule- that mastitis culled BSE positive cow could easily have been shipped into the states for slaughter- and it could be the kids in both the US and Canada eating thousands of burgers today with her infected material in them... :( :mad: :cry:

Oldtimer you have already admitted that the US "has missed" detecting some BSE animals, among other things ...... what about those cull cows of yours !
 
S.S.A.P. said:
Oldtimer said:
S.S.A.P.--And to top all things- If R-CALF and our Senators had not forced USDA to withdraw the final rule- that mastitis culled BSE positive cow could easily have been shipped into the states for slaughter- and it could be the kids in both the US and Canada eating thousands of burgers today with her infected material in them... :( :mad: :cry:

Oldtimer you have already admitted that the US "has missed" detecting some BSE animals, among other things ...... what about those cull cows of yours !

Yeah- but if you follow the only numbers and statistics that are available on testing- those of the CFIA and the USDA- then with the ratio of positives found to cattle tested and cattle in each herd- Canadian cattle are several hundred times a higher risk.....

Just because you have one rattlesnake living under your porch that you can't get rid of-- does that mean you want to go out and import in hundreds more.... :???:

Why should US producers greatly increase that risk to consumers and to the US cattle industry- when they get no gain?

No---Now its up to Canada to work to prove that their product is safe- and I think that the only thing that will do that is to test ALL at slaughter....
 
Oldtimer said:
Yet, the cow was detected with a rapid BSE test perhaps eight months before the Canadian testing program would have targeted the animal for BSE testing.

Excuse me ..... this cow WAS detected AS PART OF THE CANADIAN TESTING PROGRAM ....


"The revelation that a rapid BSE test can detect infected animals up to eight months before the animal would fit the criteria for targeted testing is not only new news, but groundbreaking news," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.

Again he mentions "before it would fit the criteria for the Canadian testing" ... just how to he!! does he think she was detected if not by the testing program criteria ... we've never hid the fact that we test 4-D's; dead, diseased, dying, downer


Folks think about what this man just said.......
 
S.S.A.P. said:
Oldtimer said:
Yet, the cow was detected with a rapid BSE test perhaps eight months before the Canadian testing program would have targeted the animal for BSE testing.

Excuse me ..... this cow WAS detected AS PART OF THE CANADIAN TESTING PROGRAM ....
You are blonde aren't you :wink: :lol: :lol: She died from complications of mastitis- CFIA says she probably would not have died from the BSE for about 8 more months- so she wouldn't have been a 4 D and targeted for testing for 8 months....

"The revelation that a rapid BSE test can detect infected animals up to eight months before the animal would fit the criteria for targeted testing is not only new news, but groundbreaking news," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.

Again he mentions "before it would fit the criteria for the Canadian testing" ... just how to he!! does he think she was detected if not by the testing program criteria ... we've never hid the fact that we test 4-D's; dead, diseased, dying, downer

If she had not developed mastitis, became septic from that, and died the CFIA estimated she would have lived 8 more months with the BSE- then died- then became a 4 D and eligible to fit your test criteria....


Folks think about what this man just said.......
 
The title of this thread just SLAYS me!!! :D :D

"How Many BSE Infected Cows Is Canada Sending to the US??"

SENDING???? How many??? :D :D

The answer is obviously none. We are not SENDING any. These cattle are being bought ,willingly, by an American buyer.
"SENDING", my ass. :roll:
It's called "competition" , boys and girls. Supply a comparable product at a competitive price(free enterprise,the American way),.

Had some business in town first thing this morning and stopped at the local auction. Talked to a neighbor/friend/order buyer. He tells me he has orders out the wazoo for high quality CDN feeders. Good bucks, too. These orders are from feedlots in the US.
Sending. :roll: :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
 
i wonder who's forcing those american buyers to buy canadian animals? surely they wouldn't do it just for economic reasons.
 

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