Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials have been unable to identify the herd of origin of Canada’s eighth case of BSE.
The Charolais cross cow, which was eight to 10 years old, died Aug. 9, 2006. The farmer initially treated the cow for milk fever, but the animal died and samples were sent to the national BSE surveillance program where it tested positive.
CFIA officials said it was impossible to distinguish among the 13 remaining possible sources.
Because the birth farm couldn’t be identified, no feed investigation could be done. The feed investigation normally focuses on the critical period of susceptibility to BSE during the animal’s first year of life.
The possibility that exposure to the BSE agent occurred on the farm where the cow died was ruled out based on the limited susceptibility of older animals to BSE.
