March 20, 2007

Vietnam rejects cattle feed imports on mad cow disease concerns
 

Vietnamese customs officials have rejected over 70 containers of meat and bone meal (MBM) as cattle feed due to mad cow disease concerns.

Authorities have forced the illegal cargos to be re-exported from Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong ports.

According to Dau Ngoc Hao, deputy head of the National Animal Health Department, Indonesia had supplied information to Vietnamese authorities regarding the containers from Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria and France, which led to the discovery.

60 containers of MBM suspected to be contaminated with mad cow disease have been turned away from Ho Chi Minh City alone so far this year.

MBM is now illegal for feed use in ruminant animals in most places, as it is considered the main source of mad cow disease, or BSE infection.