Health

USDA Confirms ‘Mad Cow’ Disease Case in Calif.

USDA Announces Case of Mad Cow Disease in California Dairy Cow | Other Meat and Dairy Products Safe

One symptom of cows with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease) is an inability to stand up. (Photo: Wikimedia)

WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — The Agriculture Department says a new case of mad cow disease has surfaced in a dairy cow in California.

The case is the fourth in recent years. John Clifford, the department’s chief veterinary officer, said the cow from central California did not enter the human food chain and that U.S. meat and dairy supplies are safe.

Clifford did not say when the disease was discovered or exactly where the cow was raised. He said the cow was at a rendering plant in Central California when the case was discovered through U.S.D.A. sample testing.

USDA Announces Case of Mad Cow Disease in California Dairy Cow | Other Meat and Dairy Products Safe

Example of a tissue sample of showing "holes" from Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease). (Photo: APHIS via Wikimedia)

There have been only three known cases of mad cow disease in the U.S.

The Agriculture Department is sharing its lab results with international animal health officials in Canada and England, Clifford said.

Mad cow disease is a neurological disease formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. It is always fatal in cattle.

Clifford sad the California cow is an atypical case in that it didn’t get the disease from eating infected cattle feed.

Here’s the full statement Clifford made today:

“As part of our targeted surveillance system, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the nation’s fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from central California. The carcass of the animal is being held under State authority at a rendering facility in California and will be destroyed. It was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health. Additionally, milk does not transmit BSE.

“The United States has had longstanding interlocking safeguards to protect human and animal health against BSE. For public health, these measures include the USDA ban on specified risk materials, or SRMs, from the food supply. SRMs are parts of the animal that are most likely to contain the BSE agent if it is present in an animal. USDA also bans all nonambulatory (sometimes called “downer”) cattle from entering the human food chain. For animal health, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ban on ruminant material in cattle feed prevents the spread of the disease in the cattle herd.

“Evidence shows that our systems and safeguards to prevent BSE are working, as are similar actions taken by countries around the world. In 2011, there were only 29 worldwide cases of BSE, a dramatic decline and 99% reduction since the peak in 1992 of 37,311 cases. This is directly attributable to the impact and effectiveness of feed bans as a primary control measure for the disease.

 

“Samples from the animal in question were tested at USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. Confirmatory results using immunohistochemistry and western blot tests confirmed the animal was positive for atypical BSE, a very rare form of the disease not generally associated with an animal consuming infected feed.

“We are sharing our laboratory results with international animal health reference laboratories in Canada and England, which have official World Animal Health (OIE) reference labs. These labs have extensive experience diagnosing atypical BSE and will review our confirmation of this form of the disease. In addition, we will be conducting a comprehensive epidemiological investigation in conjunction with California animal and public health officials and the FDA.

“BSE is a progressive neurological disease among cattle that is always fatal. It belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Affected animals may display nervousness or aggression, abnormal posture, difficulty in coordination and rising, decreased milk production, or loss of body weight despite continued appetite.

 

“This detection in no way affects the United States’ BSE status as determined by the OIE. The United States has in place all of the elements of a system that OIE has determined ensures that beef and beef products are safe for human consumption: a mammalian feed ban, removal of specified risk materials, and vigorous surveillance. Consequently, this detection should not affect U.S. trade.

“USDA remains confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef and dairy products. As the epidemiological investigation progresses, USDA will continue to communicate findings in a timely and transparent manner.”

Comments (57)

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  • NLN
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 7:42pm

    That poor cow is just depressed. She heard on the radio that Obama eats dog, and she is afraid all the libs will follow suit.. And the poor girl realizes that she no longer has a purpose in life.

    Report Post »  
    • MatrixRedPill
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 9:15pm

      Pig Crisis, shoot farm pigs. Cow Crisis, shoot farm cows.

      Food prices go up. Obama’s boss(s) make money. Simple case of Never Let A Crisis Goes to Waste.

      Report Post »  
    • strewth_cobber
      Posted on April 25, 2012 at 1:50am

      Back in the 90s they had a mad cow disease breakout in Britain from which a certain fast food chain made a killing on purchasing ‘cheap’ meat. The farmers did not profit, of course.

      And just in poor taste (pardon the pun)… Did you hear about the two cows having a conversation? One cow said to the other… “Have you heard about that Mad Cow’s Disease? It’s really baaaaaad!” and the udder err, other cow says, “It‘s a good thing we’re penguins!”

      With apologies.
      And kind regards to all
      God bless

      Report Post »  
  • c.foster4722
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 7:30pm

    I finely got my wish! The USDA finely told us what’s wrong with Nancy P. and B. Boxer.! LOL Now if they would only put them down along with the other infected cows!!

    Report Post »  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on April 25, 2012 at 12:11pm

      I demand immediate isolation…in a pre-made FIMA camp, and held as a dissident w/o communicatory ability, and no constitutional checks-and-ballances.

      Report Post »  
  • AFreeManInTexas
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 7:07pm

    Love the humor but this will lead to the USDA forcing us to plant chips in all our livestock, raising the cost of livestock to the consumer and affecting the profit to the producer. I can hear the new regulations being written right now, Cass I hate you

    Report Post »  
  • lessoneleg
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 6:45pm

    Let’s see a little tit for tat here. When a very isolated farm was found in western Canada concerning Mad Cow Disease the USDA went bananas destroying western Canada’s beef products industry. What should be done about this one.

    Report Post » lessoneleg  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 8:22pm

      I had to move my entire herd when a neighboring farm had a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. giant pain but atleast in 2003 the gas prices weren’t what they are now or I probably would have just had them slaughtered.

      Report Post »  
  • countryfirst
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 6:43pm

    Somehow we will find out someone was cashing the cows disability check. Government gone wild.

    Report Post » countryfirst  
  • GaryInTheMiddle
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 6:00pm

    I know they would find this if they tested Nancy Pelosi.

    Report Post » GaryInTheMiddle  
  • Dougral Supports Israel
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 5:34pm

    Its been there a long time, its merely jumped from the people to the cows now. Poor, newly liberal, California cows.

    Report Post »  
  • patriot4ever
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 5:31pm

    Broke-back mountain cowboys are running rampant in Central Cali. Don’t eat the meat!

    Report Post » patriot4ever  
    • muddpuddle
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 6:41pm

      If I was a cow living on broke back mountain, I’d be mad too. And I would always be walking in circles to keep an eye on my rear parts…

      Report Post »  
  • football lady
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 5:12pm

    Rachel Maddow is in CA?

    Report Post »  
  • SgtB
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 5:07pm

    They say that this case of mad cow was “atypical” because the animal in question was not fed cow meat in its feed. The reality is that the thing that causes mad cow is not a virus or bacteria. It is a prion. Basically, it is like a virus, but instead of having a protein coat that aids in injecting cells with the viral DNA, it is just the DNA. An animal susceptible to being invaded by this strand of DNA called a prion can get it from ANY contact with said prion. A similar disease in elk and deer that we our northern climates are fighting every year is called chronic wasting disease. Any time that an animal is discovered with CWD, it is to be shot and burned. If that animal is in a domestic herd, it has already infected the ground upon which its pen is made and the herd has to be slaughtered and incinerated than the ground has to be scorched and turned over. Then to be safe you must let that land go fallow for some time before you can reintroduce more deer or elk.

    This stuff is no joke and if there is one cow with the disease, I can guarantee there are more. Good news though. This disease, like many diseases, does not seem to cross the species barrier from cows or cervus (deer and elk) to human.

    Report Post » SgtB  
    • kindling
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 6:19pm

      I believe there is something along these lines in sheep and goats too. It is passed through the birth prcess and again the ground can harbor material that can be passed to any other goats or sheep that feed on it.

      Report Post » kindling  
    • marcus_arealius
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 6:59pm

      A mis-folded protein.That is the scariest aspect of a prion. All the right atoms, co-bonded as in the correct protein, just folded due to molecular bonding in a different 3D configuration. Result is deadly.

      Just like politicians, they have all the same parts as humans, just warped into a deadly configuration.

      Report Post »  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 8:30pm

      yes the prions can survive in soil too which is why it is spreading wildly through the elk and mule deer population and humans are highly susceptible to it as well. many cases of dementia or Alzheimer’s are actually mad cow, or chronic wasting etc caused by the prions. unless an autopsy is done, which rarely they are when the patient is elderly with dementia, this is going highly under reported an poses a huge threat. the cause is now animal feed in my opinion that theory unravels when the soil tests positive making the feed irrelevant especially when the soil is forest land. I had to move 52 cows in 2003 when a neighboring farm had my states first case of mad cow. that land is no longer used for cattle its a little to sketchy for me now and we have the benefit of other farm land we own.

      Report Post »  
    • MAMMY_NUNN
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 10:34pm

      It couldn‘t be possible with all the screwing with the genetics in animal and plants or possibly how feed is stored is the possible causes admit it you can’t rule it out.

      Report Post »  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on April 25, 2012 at 12:18pm

      …and our military just removed the criminality from beastiality….Hmmmmm…….

      Report Post »  
  • infortheride
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:58pm

    I thought this was about Madcow Maddof, go figure.

    Report Post »  
  • bumfuzeled
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:38pm

    from the headline I thought Nancy Pelosi was back home

    Report Post » bumfuzeled  
  • jakartaman
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:30pm

    It may explain the way kalifonians vote!

    Report Post »  
  • valleyfever
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:15pm

    So it is an atypical case. The cow didn’t get sick from eating feed made from infected animals. So what. How did the cow get the disease in the first place? Are you investigating that? Do you plan to report the findings? Did the California politicians really eat the evidence?

    Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 5:37pm

      The muslims have added cows instead of sheep.

      Report Post »  
    • marcus_arealius
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 7:02pm

      I think the cows must have eaten politicians brains from Suckramento. Not intentionally of course.

      Report Post »  
  • blackyb
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:15pm

    The cow was eating pink slime, most likely. Cows cannot safely eat meat byproducts mixed into feed.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • blackyb
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:13pm

    Too bad, I am sorry for the cow, but this one was hanging around too many OWSers and Obama thugs.

    Report Post » blackyb  
    • Blackop
      Posted on April 24, 2012 at 7:06pm

      It only took 17 posts for OBAMA to be mentioned. You all are slacking off of your mission to protect the truth.

      Report Post »  
  • aChameleon
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:11pm

    Oh, It’s not about Diane Feinstein?

    Report Post » aChameleon  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:11pm

    Nancy Pelosi Barbara Boxer, you two have won Free Steaks from a small farm in Beautiful Central California. They will be shipped to you Priority Express,, and have a great BBQ with your family’s.

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
  • lassiegirldawn
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:02pm

    I think our politicians dine on too many mad cow burgers. I know that must be the main source of protein for our professional athletes, it shows in their behavior.

    Report Post »  
  • marcus_arealius
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:01pm

    So this partially explains why everyone in Sacramento (legislature) is brain dead.

    Report Post »  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:00pm

    What? I thought Rachel was in NY.

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • lukerw
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 3:59pm

    ROFL :) Sorry… but I knew it!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 3:57pm

    ugh– I thought this was going to be about a moose-shill obama sighting…

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
  • BOGOTSTOGO
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 3:51pm

    Iv’e known about the mad cow in California for years I call her Pelosi

    Report Post » BOGOTSTOGO  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 3:48pm

    Obama is safe, until the mad dog disease rears it’s ugly head.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
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