Canada Confirms Sixth Case of BSE & Investigates Possible Seventh

July 6, 2006 — 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the sixth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a cow from Manitoba. No parts of the affected cow entered the human or animal food chains.

The agency has determined that the cow was born well before the 1997 feed regulations banning cattle feed containing ruminant protein. Records indicate the cow was purchased in 1992 and the agency is attempting to locate the birth farm as well as any herd mates and offspring.

An additional animal was identified by the Agency this week as potentially the seventh case of BSE. This animal is described as a 50 month old cow located in the Edmonton, Alberta area. If accurate, this animal would have been born long after the implementation of the ruminant to ruminant feed ban.

The Canadian government has tested over 115,000 animals since detecting the first case of BSE in 2003 and remains confident the prevalence of BSE is "very low" in the national cattle herd.

Source:
CFIA, July 4, 2006