Canada Confirms Eighth BSE Case

OTTAWA - Aug 23/06 - SNS -- A mature cow from Alberta was infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), confirms the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

This latest case will make it harder for Canada to win the right to ship cattle over 30 months old or beef from older cattle to the United States. Last month the USDA said it will not consider expanding beef and cattle trade until a joint probe into last month's seventh BSE case is complete. At a minimum, the USDA will now wait until this latest case is fully examined.

Preliminary information provided by the owner and an examination conducted by a private veterinarian estimate the animal's age was between eight and ten years of age. Based on this range, exposure to the BSE agent likely occurred either before the feed ban's introduction or during its early implementation. The estimated age of this animal is consistent with those of previous Canadian cases and exposure to a very low level of BSE infectivity.

A CFIA investigation is underway to locate the positive animal's birth farm. This information, if determined, will serve to definitively verify the animal's age as well as help identify herdmates of interest and potential sources of contaminated feed. As has been done previously, the CFIA will conduct a complete epidemiological review of this case, the results of which will be made public.