Showing signs of illness when sent for slaughter, the eight-year-old cow was declared unfit for human consumption and sent for rendering. As part of a routine surveillance program for BSE, the cow’s brain was tested with preliminary results indicating possible BSE. The brain tissue was sent for further testing, including a laboratory in the United Kingdom, where it was con-firmed as BSE-positive. The cow was part of a Northern Alberta herd of 150 head, which was depopulated and rapid-tested for BSE, all coming back negative.
The CFIA placed 17 cattle herds under quarantine in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia as part of its investigation into the incidence of BSE in one cow. Ten of the herds relate to the traceback of the cow’s movements throughout its entire life, while three represent the movement of the cow’s offspring. Three farms in British Columbia were quarantined as a result of an investigation into feeding practices that may not have respected Canada’s feed ban, which prohibits the feeding of mammalian proteins to ruminants. All the animals from these three farms are contained and have not entered the human food supply.
One of the quarantined herds where the BSE-positive cow resided for up to four years of its life was depopulated and undergoing testing. The CFIA removed trace-forward animals from three quarantined farms in Alberta that received animals from the original herd. The cows were depopulated and being tested for BSE.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) learned from the Canadian government that rendered material from the BSE-positive cow may have been used to manufacture dry dog food, some of which was reportedly shipped to the United States. FDA notified Pet Pantry International, Carson City, NV, who may have received pet food that included the rendered material from the manufacturer, Champion Pet Food, Morinville, Alberta. Even though there is no known risk to dogs from eating this dog food, as a prudent measure to help assure that the United States stays BSE-free, Pet Pantry International is asking its customers who may have purchased the suspect product to hold it for pick-up by the distributor so that the dog food may not mistakenly be mixed into cattle or other feeds if any of the dog food is discarded or otherwise not used to feed dogs. The product subject to this notification includes “Maintenance Diet” labeled with a use by date of “17FEB04” and “Beef with Barley” with a use by date of “05MAR04.” Pet Pantry is using its sales records to contact consumers who purchased the affected product.
For the latest on the BSE situation in Canada, log onto www.inspection.gc.ca.
June 2003 Render