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INVESTIGATION INTO JANUARY 11 BSE CASE CONCLUDES

OTTAWA, February 11, 2005 — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has concluded its investigation into the latest case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) confirmed on January 11, 2005. All animals tested through the investigation were found negative for BSE.

The Agency’s investigation determined that 349 animals comprised the birth cohort, which includes cattle born on the farm of origin within 12 months before and 12 months after the affected animal. Of this group, 41 animals were found alive, were euthanized and tested negative for BSE. Most of the other animals from the birth cohort had previously died or been slaughtered. The investigation also identified the affected animal’s two most recently born offspring. One calf, born in 2003, had been slaughtered and the other, born in 2004 and too young to be tested for BSE, was euthanized.

Canada’s feed ban was introduced in 1997 as a proactive precaution. At that time, it is likely that the feed ban was not immediately adopted uniformly across the feed industry. Prohibited materials would have been purged from the ruminant feed system as Canadian renderers, feed manufacturers, retailers, distributors and producers developed, implemented and refined new operating processes. Similar experiences have been observed in all countries with BSE that have implemented feed controls. Based on this understanding, the detection of an affected animal born after the feed ban was not unexpected.

The feed component of the investigation determined that BSE may have been transmitted to the affected animal through feed produced shortly after the feed ban was introduced. However, exact production dates for the feeds under investigation are unavailable.

Surveillance findings, inspection reports, international risk assessments and previous investigations indicate that the ban has successfully limited the spread of BSE over time. Nonetheless, the Agency is committed to continuously improving Canada’s BSE safeguards. Canadian officials are currently conducting a review to gain a detailed, current snapshot of how the feed ban is working. Concurrently, proposed enhancements to the feed ban are moving through the regulatory process, the comment period for which closes on February 24. These changes require the removal of specified risk material (SRM) from all animal feeds. This action will minimize the risks associated with any potential cross contamination or on-farm misuse, thereby increasing the speed with which BSE would be eradicated from the national cattle herd. SRM are tissues that, in affected cattle, contain the BSE agent.

The feed ban is an animal health measure, intended to limit the spread of BSE and eradicate the disease over time. Food safety continues to be protected by the removal of SRM from all cattle slaughtered for human consumption. This measure is internationally recognized as the most effective way to protect the safety of the human food supply from BSE.

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For information:

Please see attached document: Report of the Investigation of the Third Case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Alberta, Canada

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Media relations: (613) 228-6682

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