January 17, 2005

Canada Finds Another 15 Cattle From Mad Cow Farm

Canadian inspectors have identified and quarantined 15 more cattle related to an Alberta beef cow that was confirmed on Tuesday as Canada's third native case of mad cow disease, an official said on Friday.

The cattle were born within a year of the diseased cow, and will be killed and tested for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a media relations officer with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.

Earlier this week, officials said they had found 22 cattle on the farm born within a year of the cow. Those cattle are also being tested for the disease.

The diseased cow, born in the spring of 1998 after a ban on feeding cattle protein made from cattle and other ruminant livestock -- a practice believed to spread the disease.

The ban did not include a recall of feed that had already been manufactured.

The owner of the cow told reporters on Thursday he fed 104 calves born in 1998 a calf starter ration he bought from a local supplier.

Wilhem Vohs said 70 of the calves were sold to feedlots and 34 became breeding cows and bulls.

The Canadian government is still tracing the feed used on the farm and has not yet drawn any conclusions.