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Puck The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596
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Wed Jun 29, 2005 10:37 pm U.S. mad cow case traced to Texas |
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CNN.com
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U.S. mad cow case traced to Texas
USDA says infected animal never entered food chain
From Allan Chernoff
CNN
(CNN) -- The cow confirmed last week to be infected with mad cow disease was 12 years old and lived its entire life in Texas, according to John Clifford, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief veterinarian.
Unable to walk, the animal was selected for testing at a pet food facility in Waco, Texas, he said.
Its carcass was incinerated and no part of the animal was ever used for human or pet food, USDA officials said.
Two cattle related to the infected animal have been identified so far, Clifford said.
The USDA is holding the entire source herd as it continues efforts to test other members of the herd born around the same year as the infected cow, as well as the cow's offspring.
"Experience worldwide has shown us that it is highly unusual to find BSE [bovine spongiform encephalopathy] in more than one animal in a herd or in an affected animal's offspring," Clifford said.
"Nevertheless, all animals of interest will be tested for BSE," Clifford said.
"The safety of our food supply is not in question," he said. "I am very confident that our interlocking safeguards are effective, and this case is evidence of that."
Clifford said his agency is working with the Food and Drug Administration to determine the feed history in the infected cow's herd.
Given the animal's age, Clifford said the USDA believes it was "most likely" infected by consuming feed prior to a 1997 ban on feeding cattle the remains of other similar mammals.
This is the second case of BSE found in the United States. The first case, discovered in December 2003, was in a dairy cow that had been imported from Canada.
BSE is a chronic, degenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system of cattle. It is usually transmitted to cows via contaminated feed and has an incubation period in animals of four to six years.
Since it was first diagnosed in Great Britain in 1986, there have been more than 180,000 cases.
Eating meat from cows infected with the protein has been linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a fatal brain disorder in humans.
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Theresa Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001 Posts: 27256 Location: United States of America
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Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:40 am |
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Figures. Weird things grow in Texas, eh, Kevin?
-------signature-------
Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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Puck The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596
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Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:32 am |
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Although it is rare, occasionally, yes .
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ILoveHarry Admiral
Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 7909 Location: Houston
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Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:33 am |
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Hey now, you can't blame all of us for what happens in Waco. I mean, what do you expect from a place that sounds like wako?
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madlilnerd Duchess of Dancemat
Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 5885 Location: Slough, England
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Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:38 am |
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/\
If everything's bigger in Texas, then you're going to have one hell of a problem with BSE. Over here, cows catch it from badgers.
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webtaz99 Commodore
Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 1229 Location: The Other Side
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Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:46 am |
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Do any of you even know what causes BSE?
-------signature-------
"History is made at night! Character is who you are in the dark." (Lord John Whorfin)
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Puck The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596
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Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:20 pm |
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ILoveHarry wrote: | Hey now, you can't blame all of us for what happens in Waco. I mean, what do you expect from a place that sounds like wako? |
TYVM! My parents made fun of me when we were driving through Waco when I was little, and I was reading the sign that said "Waco X Miles" and pronounced it like that . At least I know I am not alone in my way of thinking .
And just so that this isn't spam, I am not going to say that I know for certain, but I thought it had something to do with cows eating food that was made with parts from other cows. (AKA cannibalism). Then again, I could be way off.
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Joey Rear Admiral
Joined: 13 Jul 2001 Posts: 4708
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:35 am |
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i thought cows dident eat meat?
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Seven of Nine Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001 Posts: 7871 Location: North East England
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:12 am |
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Here in the UK BSE spread with cows eating food with bits of sheep in them, that had been ill. I can't remember everything, but BSE and Foot and Mouth means our farmers have had a tough time recently.
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webtaz99 Commodore
Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 1229 Location: The Other Side
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:11 am |
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harrykim234 wrote: | i thought cows dident eat meat? |
They do when they are shut in a bare earthen pen with only what humans put in the trough to eat.
-------signature-------
"History is made at night! Character is who you are in the dark." (Lord John Whorfin)
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madlilnerd Duchess of Dancemat
Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 5885 Location: Slough, England
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:17 am |
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A lot of animal feed is made from the waste product of animal products (the bits so manky that they won't even go in Asda smartprice dog food), and the disease can be spread that way.
My earlier comment about cows catching it from badgers was wrong, that's TB. Scientists currently think that cows my catch TB from badgers.
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Seven of Nine Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001 Posts: 7871 Location: North East England
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:49 am |
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And since then scientists have said that it is highly unlikely that cows will catch TB from badgers
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nadia cookie
Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 8560 Location: Australia
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:59 am |
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Is mad cow and foot and mouth like the same thing?
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Seven of Nine Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001 Posts: 7871 Location: North East England
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:18 am |
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No. They're completely different.
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nadia cookie
Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 8560 Location: Australia
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Fri Jul 01, 2005 7:35 pm |
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Ok thanks, I was just wondering
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The Delta Flyer Commodore
Joined: 08 Apr 2002 Posts: 2163 Location: East Yorkshire
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Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:27 pm |
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Neither are particularly pleasant I might add.
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