PHOENIX, Ariz. – Powerhouse nations need to adopt universal standards for BSE prevention and force other countries to be more reasonable in their response to the discovery of one or two cases, said speakers at a U.S. beef conference.
The Americans argue new rules implemented in Canada and the United States must be applied evenly across the North American continent to restore trade.
Canada, Mexico and the U.S. started working on a BSE template after the May 20 case in Alberta.
“The country we know the least about and the safeguards they have in place is Mexico,” said Ron DeHaven, chief veterinary officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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A number of initiatives became effective immediately in the U.S. These are out for public comment until the end of April so may be expanded or clarified then.
They include rules for handling fallen animals. There is a question whether animals with broken legs need to be condemned. The current rule is all animals unable to walk must not enter the food chain.
Surveillance is going to increase on animals brought to packers that are dead, dying, down or disabled, said DeHaven at the Canada-U.S. committee meeting at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention Jan. 30.
In 2003, the American government tested 20,000 animals and plans to test 40,000 this year. Since 1990, the U.S. has tested 57,362 animals.
Some recommend random tests on normal, healthy animals should be included because there are situations where seemingly fit cattle have been diagnosed positive. There are around 200,000 downers per year in the U.S., and some insist all these should be tested.
The U.S. expects the results of an international review within a couple of weeks. The panel may advise further testing and surveillance.
DeHaven said there is no reason to test all slaughter animals. He compared that logic to testing every person visiting a physician for prostate cancer regardless of age or sex of the patient.
The USDA has said about 40,000 cattle could be tested per year at a cost of about $30 each, for a total cost of $1.2 million per year. To test all 30 million head slaughtered each year would cost $900 million. The value of the Japanese market is $1 billion.
DeHaven said reaction to a country with a BSE case is often based on perception rather than on actual knowledge.
“There is a lot of skepticism in countries around the world in our surveillance program,” he said.
The European community has suggested there are likely more cases.
The investigation in Washington state is expected to wrap up in about a week.
Investigators know the infected cow from Washington state was born April 9, 1997, which predated the feed ban set August 1997. The cow came in a shipment of 81 from Canada. In particular, investigators are searching for herd mates born between April 1996 and 1998 to ensure all are BSE free. There are 25 in that group, of which 14 have been found.
To date, 242 cattle have been killed and 227 tests have come back negative for BSE. The other results are pending.
“We are not going to find all 81 animals that we considered to be of significance, but that is OK,” DeHaven said.
Typically only one or two in a herd are positive even if they were all exposed to the same feed. In addition, the government destroyed 450 bull calves.
The bull calf of the downed cow born at the end of November was in a group of about 250, but the owner asked that all be destroyed because they had no value. The carcasses were buried in a landfill.
