Posted on 12/29/2004 2:09:04 PM PST by Calpernia
Live Cattle Trade back on with Canada
Does anyone know if its transmitted via MILK seems to me that it wasnt but dont have scientific proof does anyone?
Slaughter techniques have been changed to minimize any risk of contacting Mad Cow.
Don't worry, be happy.
No. It is only transmitted through eating brain tissue.
I used to work for USDA.
THank you really appreciate it...
Eating ton of whey protein
If that's the case, then why is soil being studied to determine if it harbors CWD?
Well, they don't really know what the causative agent is.
They call it a prion protein, but they are not sure.
The way it was spread in Britain was by feeding brain tissue from cows to other cows in feed. The only parts of a cow known to transmit the disease are the brain, spinal cord and retina.
So, I guess it is a good investigation to see if the agent is in soil. It is a real puzzle.
There is no reason to reject Canadian cattle, if they are using proper feed and they don't take any older animals.
There is little risk in this decision.
We can see from the tsunamis that life is a risk. There is no absolute protection. Science has provided us great prosperity, but science is by no means perfect.
Sometimes you need to make prudent risk assessments and step out in faith. Otherwise, you end up like the commie socialist wackos who deprive Africa of DDT and end up killing millions each year.
BTTT!!!!!!
Ain't this sweet.
Just as the US reopens the border another suspected case of Mad Cow is detected in Canada.
Canada Discovers Suspected Mad Cow Case / Reuters
Stay safe. Buy Texas beef !!!
Now lets be fair. It is an inconclusive field test. Being sent for the more rigorous lab testing which will take 3-5 days to yield what will most likely be a negative result.
And the EXACT SAME THING happened here in the States just about a month ago.
If freepers cannot realize that field testing is occasionally going to produce an inconclusive result which will require further analysis, then you will be at the mercy of garish news headlines for quite a while. In the meantime, the border opening is a VERY good thing for America and Canada.
Prairie
Even if there is a case in an old cow, the feeding of brain matter to other cattle is banned. This should stop transmission completely, unless there is an unknown method of transmission.
That is why they may be looking into soil. But that is about as likely as catching syphillis on a toilet seat.
Just as an aside, you should be more worried about the lack of application of public health methods to AIDS.
Each case should be quarantined.
Agreed. One reason that BSE gained such a foothold in Europe is because they don't have the agricultural landmass in order to grow sufficient plant proteins to add to feed. Hence the poor practice of adding in animal products.
Here and in Canada, we grow soybeans etc. to add to the feed. And after the link to animal based feed protein was made and the ban introduced, that dramatically reduced the chances of cases developing. What people dont' seem to understand is that any field testing less than 100% negative will cause an "inconclusive" result. And be sent for the bigger lab tests. And in the meantime, the news papers make dramatic headlines.
Prairie
I think it would make more sense to simply test all cattle when they are slaughtered. It's not that expensive.
At the very least, the USDA should allow any producer that wants to test to do so. The Creekstone Farms incident I thought was the height of silliness: the company wanted to test their own cattle for BSE, but the USDA forbid them to.
And it's not because I think BSE is some awful plague o'er the land; I think that it's just good sense to eliminate dangerous diseases where it is practicable (and in this case, I think it very much is so) rather than to let them hang on -- just like with spraying with DDT. Both will cost some money, but each would eliminate a health hazard.
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