Agricultural News
Oklahoma Cattlemen and Oklahoma Beef Council Affirm Work of USDA as They Track Fifth Case of BSE in the U.S.
Tue, 18 Jul 2017 21:09:27 CDT
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Tuesday an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a neurologic disease of cattle, in an eleven-year old cow in Alabama. This animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply, or to human health in the United States.
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) have determined that this cow was positive for atypical (L-type) BSE. The animal was showing clinical signs and was found through routine surveillance at an Alabama livestock market. APHIS and Alabama veterinary officials are gathering more information on the case.
On Tuesday afternoon, both the Oklahoma Beef Council and the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association released brief statement expressing their faith in the USDA in the handling of this atypical case of BSE.
The Oklahoma Beef Council released this statement:
"We are fortunate in the US to have a strong, interlocking system of safeguards in place to protect both human and herd health. It's important to note this animal never entered the food supply because of that system of safeguards. As it is an atypical case of BSE, it will not change our OIE status as a neglible risk country and we have been told by USDA should not cause trade disruptions. We will continue to monitor this situation locally and through our national checkoff-funded issues management team."
The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association released this statement:
'OCA is closely monitoring this situation. We understand and are pleased that the robust USDA BSE surveillance process identified and isolated this cow. No beef from the cow entered the food chain.'
The US Food and Droug Administration has a primer on BSE- it is available here.
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