February 15, 2005

Canada's latest BSE case may be caused by contaminated cattle feed

Canada's latest mad cow disease case on January 11 could have been caused by contaminated cattle feed, produced shortly after a 1997 ban designed to prevent mad cow disease, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

But detailed production records for the four types of feed eaten by the diseased cow, born in the spring of 1998, were not available, the CFIA said in its final report on Canada's third case of BSE.

The CFIA also said an investigation of cattle born in the same Alberta farm as an animal found to have mad cow disease last month showed no signs of the ailment. An estimated 349 animals were tracked. Forty-one were found alive, then killed and tested negative for the disease. The disease may have been transmitted in animal feed, the government said.