Officials: U.S. Mad Cow Case Confirmed

Associated Press ^ | 12/25/03 | EMILY GERSEMA

[torstars]

WASHINGTON -- Agriculture officials said Thursday they have received preliminary independent confirmation that the United States has its first case of mad cow disease as federal investigators labored to trace the path the infected cow took from birth to slaughter.

Scientists at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Waybridge, England, concur with the reading of tests on the stricken Holstein cow that led U.S. officials to conclude the cow had the brain-wasting disease, said U.S. Agriculture Department spokeswoman Alisa Harrison.

"We are considering this confirmation," Harrison said, adding the English lab still will conduct its own test using another sample from the cow's brain. Final test results on the cow from Washington state were expected by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, Harrison said, investigators were working through the holiday to prevent a potential outbreak of the deadly disease and calm public fears about the nation's food supply.

[torstars]

Not a surprise, but BSE has now been confirmed in the US.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[RoseofTexas]

Damn! Watch the stock market tumble!! Just damn!!

[uncbob]

Let's hope this isn't followed up by P%$&*& Off Pig Disease

[torstars]

Watch the stock market tumble!!

Markets fell limit yesterday. I don't think the confirmation was a surprise.

[steve86]

Markets fell limit yesterday.

Yeah, I think the cattle futures were limit down. Quick-service chain shares were down around 4 - 6 percent. The problem with a stock market like this, priced to perfection and over-valued as it is, is vulnerability to external shocks. I kind of doubt this is the shock that will send the overall market into a tailspin, but some unexpected event eventually will. People don't realize what kind of high-risk investing environment this is. There are some pros who witnessed similar conditions in 1987, including the US$ decline, and don't wish to repeat their mistakes of that time.

[Gritty]

This is really bad news for the beef and grain industries.

[the invisib1e hand]

Remember the Mad Sheep of Vermont? That was under Dean's leadership, I think. Could he be spreading the Mad Cow so that people will flock to him (no pun intended) for leadership?

[y2k_free_radical]

i don;t like the news but as a capitalist pig i did buy VITX and JAN 55 BIO CALL OPTIONS at close

[the invisib1e hand]

Don't think having good business sense makes one a pig. Just makes you part of The Invisible Hand!

[hoosierham]

Next: turkey toughs threaten takeover!

[VetoBill]

This is really bad news for the beef and grain industries

Even though the grain market fell along side this news... it shouldn't have, at least in the short term. There still are many cattle out there, they still have to be feed. Now if next year we are looking at a potential million head less, then the grain markets should take a hit.. but until massive amounts of slaughter start taking place, a down grain market is just speculation.

[fella]

Mark Purdey has a diffrent view as to what causes Mad Cow Disease and BSE in wild animals. It takes awhile to go through his site and gleen the information but he has done his work with an open mind and reached his conclusions without a preconcieved agendna to support.

[meatloaf]

Purdey's theory about the role of organophosphates applies to more than BSE. It's been implicated in neurological problems in humans.

[meatloaf]

Purdey's theory about the role of organophosphates applies to more than BSE. It's been implicated in neurological problems in humans.

[fella]

He covered that in his Acres USA articles. If you can get ahold of them they make a interesting if long read.

[meatloaf]

Already have.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[Pro-Bush]

Look for a good deal on T-Bones!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!