Mad cow disease found in US herds

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), otherwise known as “mad cow disease” is a frightening thing. Ever since we discovered that it could cross the species barrier can lead to infection in humans (causing variant Creuztfeld-Jakobs Disease), BSE has frozen the international beef industry.

The public also discovered some less than appealing aspects of growing cattle herds; cattle feed which included the processed offal of cows – cows eating cows. Although the “sporatic” or “classical” form of CJD was simply due to “bad luck”, “kuru” or laughing sickness in New Guinea was similarly spread by cannibalism. In this case, it was from the ingestion of infected human tissues.

The discovery of BSE in Britain and Europe devastated the beef industry on the continent. The response was the almost complete eradication of the cattle herds. For yet another case of BSE to be discovered in US cattle is very bad news for American beef growers. Needless to say, any export market would be extremely wary, if not placing an outright moratorium on US beef imports. More worrying still, is whether there US population have been unknowingly exposed to a background level of beef contaminated with BSE.

From: The Sydney Morning Herald

US confirms 3rd case of mad cow disease (excerpt)
March 14, 2006 - 9:10AM

...A beef cow from a herd in Alabama tested positive for mad cow disease, US officials said, confirming the third case of the disease in 27 months...

...The latest discovery came at a time when US officials were trying to convince Japan to reopen its market to US beef after a shipment of veal violated meat export rules by containing spinal material. Japan suspended beef trade on January 20.

South Korea said it could cancel a planned opening of its market in April to US beef if a new US case was found. Seoul has banned US beef since the first US case in December 2003...

...The United States has struggled to restore beef exports to overseas markets that totaled $US3.8 billion ($A5.2 billion) annually before mad cow was discovered. Beef exports in 2006 are estimated at 905 million pounds, down 64 per cent from 2003...