May 3, 2004

Canada To Tighten Restrictions On Animal Feed
 

There is growing speculation that Canada may ban ruminant material from animal feed.

According to research scientists at the University of Saskatchewan, there is a possibility that Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) could also be found in blood and other animal tissues.

Vikram Misra, a virologist at the vet college, says new testing procedures have turned up prions in places where they were never detected before. These areas include the lymph node system and certain muscles.

"To categorically say that there is no prion-related material present anywhere other than the central nervous system may not be correct," says Misra.

He says recent discoveries may force Canadian officials to take a second look at what they allow in animal feed.

"If you want to be absolutely certain about it, the best thing would be to eliminate all ruminant material that is going to go back into ruminants," says Misra.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has been looking at the new studies, and is currently discussing a proposal to ban ruminant material from animal feed.