Canada tests for new case of mad cow disease

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) – An Alberta cow is being
tested for mad cow disease, Canada said on Monday, but a cattle
industry representative said he does not expect the case will
affect trade even if the tests are positive.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is testing a
50-month-old dairy cow after it died on an Alberta farm and was
singled out through a surveillance program for bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known as mad cow disease.

Preliminary tests for BSE failed to rule out the disease,
the agency said.

If the cow tests positive for the brain-wasting disease, it
will be Canada’s seventh case since 2003.

No part of the carcass entered the human food or animal
feed supply, the agency said.

“It shouldn’t have any impact on trade at all,” said
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association spokesman Rob McNabb.

The animal was born after Canada’s 1997 feed ban, when the
i

nclusion of protein from ruminants such as cattle and sheep
was barred from being used in cattle feed. The disease is
believed to be spread by contaminated feed.

“We’re not going to draw any conclusions until we have
confirmatory results,” said Ed Loyd, U.S. Department of
Agriculture spokesman.

Loyd said the USDA has expected more cases from Canada.

On July 4, Canada confirmed its sixth case of mad cow
disease since 2003.

(Additional reporting by Christopher Doering in Washington)