August 31, 2005

US fails to find mad cow source

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ended its investigation into the US's first domestic case of mad cow disease on Aug 30, but failed to find out how the Texas cow was infected with the disease. The 12-year-old Brahma cross cow tested positive for BSE in June.

However, FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine still believes that the animal ate contaminated feed before the US banned meat-and-bone meal produced from cattle, though the investigation could not identify a specific feed source as the likely cause of the infection, said FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine director Steve Sundlof.

The only way mad cow is known to spread is through eating the brains and other nerve tissue of infected cows.

Loopholes in the feed ban still allowed cattle to be fed poultry litter, cattle blood and restaurant leftovers-all potential sources for mad cow disease. FDA officials promised last year to close the loopholes.

Sundlof now reiterated that the agency would act within the next two months.