A four-year-old pregnant dairy cow from north-central Alberta could be Canada’s seventh BSE case since 2003.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced the most recent suspect case on July 10.
The cow died on the farm and agency officials seized the carcass following testing under the national surveillance program.
Samples were submitted July 7 to the National Reference Laboratory in Winnipeg with results expected toward the end of this week.
A private veterinarian collected the sample on the farm where the cow had been born and raised.
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George Luterbach of the CFIA said the cow fit into the targeted testing of dead, diseased, distressed and down animals, of which more than 115,000 have been sampled.
Herd mates born 12 months before and after the suspect cow will be located and tested. Calves born in 2004 and 2005 will be found and tested as well.
“It is a loss to the producer but BSE is not an infectious disease so it will not result in him losing the entire herd,” Luterbach said.
If it tests positive, this animal would have been exposed to the BSE agent after the 1997 introduction of Canada’s feed ban, likely during its first year of life. An investigation to examine possible routes of infection has started on the farm.
Finding another animal born after the 1997 ban would be disconcerting as Canada tries to fully reopen borders closed to trade.
“Born-after-the-ban cows are not a good thing but that is why the CFIA announced the enhancements to the feed ban,” said Darcy Davis, chair of Alberta Beef Producers.
The government prohibits specified risk materials as a protein ingredient in animal feeds, pet foods and fertilizers to further strengthen feed regulations and prevent possible cross contamination in rations.
While industry officials say additional cases are not unexpected, concerns remain over the delay of a minimum risk import rule from the United States. Last week, the rule moved to the White House office of management and budget for final analysis and it is hoped it could be announced at the beginning of next year to allow the export of older animals to the U.S.
“We can’t afford to have these delays go on,” said Davis.
“It is a real concern and we remind the U.S. we have the same status.”
The U.S. has had two domestic BSE cases and another in an imported Canadian cow.
