BSE                                     ...

BSE                                                                                                

APHIS-FDA Investigation Concludes BSE Case Infected Prior To 1997 Feed Ban

An investigation into the June 2005 U.S. bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) case has concluded that the animal was most likely infected prior to the 1997 feed ban, which forbade the feeding of ruminant protein to cattle.

The BSE case occurred in a Brahma cross of about 12 years old, born before the 1997 feed ban,   the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed today (Aug. 30).

The animal was sold at a livestock sale in November 2004 and declared dead on arrival at a packing plant.  The animal was then shipped to a pet food plant where it was sampled for BSE.  The pet food plant did not use the animal in its product, and the carcass was destroyed in November 2004.

APHIS attempted to trace all adult animals that left the same farm after 1990, as well as all progeny born within two years of the animal’s death. The agency removed and tested 67 animals of interest from the farm and all tested negative for BSE.  Of the 200 adult animals of interest APHIS determined had left the index farm, officials found that 143 had gone to slaughter,  two were located alive (one was determined not to be of interest because of its age and the other tested negative), 34 are presumed dead, one is known dead and 20 have been classified as untraceable. In addition to the adult animals, APHIS was looking for two calves born to the index animal. Due to record keeping and identification issues, APHIS had to trace 213 calves. Of these 213 calves, 208 entered feeding and slaughter channels, four are presumed to have entered feeding and slaughter channels and one calf was untraceable.

To determine whether contaminated feed could have played a role in the index animal’s infection (since it was born before the feed ban), FDA and the Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service identified 21 feeds or feed supplements that were used on the farm since 1990.  These feed ingredients were purchased from three retail feed stores and were manufactured at nine feed mills.  This investigation found that no feed or feed supplements used on the farm since 1997 were formulated to contain prohibited mammalian protein.

APHIS and FDA concluded that the animals of interest did not present a threat to livestock and that the ruminant feed rule is being followed.                         

For more information on USDA’s epidemiological investigation and a copy of the report, please visit the APHIS website at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse.html.

For more information on FDA’s feed investigation, please visit the FDA’s website at www.fda.gov/cvm/texasfeedrpt.htm.

BSE                                                                                                

APHIS-FDA Investigation Concludes BSE Case Infected Prior To 1997 Feed Ban

An investigation into the June 2005 U.S. bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) case has concluded that the animal was most likely infected prior to the 1997 feed ban, which forbade the feeding of ruminant protein to cattle.

The BSE case occurred in a Brahma cross of about 12 years old, born before the 1997 feed ban,   the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed today (Aug. 30).

The animal was sold at a livestock sale in November 2004 and declared dead on arrival at a packing plant.  The animal was then shipped to a pet food plant where it was sampled for BSE.  The pet food plant did not use the animal in its product, and the carcass was destroyed in November 2004.

APHIS attempted to trace all adult animals that left the same farm after 1990, as well as all progeny born within two years of the animal’s death. The agency removed and tested 67 animals of interest from the farm and all tested negative for BSE.  Of the 200 adult animals of interest APHIS determined had left the index farm, officials found that 143 had gone to slaughter,  two were located alive (one was determined not to be of interest because of its age and the other tested negative), 34 are presumed dead, one is known dead and 20 have been classified as untraceable. In addition to the adult animals, APHIS was looking for two calves born to the index animal. Due to record keeping and identification issues, APHIS had to trace 213 calves. Of these 213 calves, 208 entered feeding and slaughter channels, four are presumed to have entered feeding and slaughter channels and one calf was untraceable.

To determine whether contaminated feed could have played a role in the index animal’s infection (since it was born before the feed ban), FDA and the Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service identified 21 feeds or feed supplements that were used on the farm since 1990.  These feed ingredients were purchased from three retail feed stores and were manufactured at nine feed mills.  This investigation found that no feed or feed supplements used on the farm since 1997 were formulated to contain prohibited mammalian protein.

APHIS and FDA concluded that the animals of interest did not present a threat to livestock and that the ruminant feed rule is being followed.                         

For more information on USDA’s epidemiological investigation and a copy of the report, please visit the APHIS website at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse.html.

For more information on FDA’s feed investigation, please visit the FDA’s website at www.fda.gov/cvm/texasfeedrpt.htm.