Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Prevention

A large concern for the cattle industry is Mad cow disease which causes brain degeneration and death in cattle. This has been linked to the loss of almost 100 people in Great Britain who consumed meat from infected animals. BSE bovine spongiform encephalopathy has not been instituted in the United States because federal and state agencies started scrutiny for BSE in 1989. The cattle industry is the largest part of U.S. agriculture. The beef and dairy production were valued at $3 1 billion in 1999, and if BSE were found in U. S. cattle this would cause losses to the division from declining meat sales and exports, also mandatory group depopulation, could severely damage the economic health of US. Agriculture.

BSE disease was initially found in Great Britain in 1986. The cause is not fully known, but data suggests that a "proteinaccous infectious particle" or 'prion' is the causal agent. There is no treatment or vaccine to prevent the disease, currently. BSE is thought to be transmitted when proteins from a contaminated animal is fed to cattle. Transmission between animals has not been observed, but also might be transmitted mother to calf infection through gestation. Most cases of BSE-like diseases have incubation periods that span years to decades “average incubation for BSE symptoms is 2 to 8 years, all affected animals die.” (Jean)

BSE has not been established in the United States. Since federal and state agencies began surveillance in 1989, all evidence shows that U. S. cattle and beef goods are free of BSE.  BSE could emerge in the United States by imports of BSE infected feed, imports of infected cattle, or through spontaneous alteration of an indigenous TSE-causing agent into a BSE-causing agent.

In 1989, APHIS forced an import ban of live ruminants including cows, sheep, and goats from countries with BSE infections. Also in l99l, APHlS extended the ban to include meat and meat products from B SE-infected countries. Lastly, in 1997, APHIS banned the importation of live ruminants and the majority ruminant products from all of Europe. APHIS began a domestic BSE surveillance program in 1990. Initial efforts included locating 496 head of cattle that were imported from the United Kingdom (U.K.) between 1981 and 1989. The U.S. is taking extreme percousions to prevent BSE, from coming in to the United States.

Jean, R., & lejandro E., A. S. (2001, March 12). Mad Cow Disease: Agriculture Issues. Foreign Press Centers. Retrieved April 24, 2011, from http://fpc.state.gov/6121.htm