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Testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow disease,” in Alberta increased 45 per cent during the 2010 calving season compared to the same period of last year.
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This increase resulted from the elimination of some of the restrictions in eligibility criteria, as well as to the effort of veterinarians and government officials to promote the program in Alberta. This is great news as Alberta producers need to continue testing cattle through the BSE surveillance program.
Testing for BSE in the Province of Alberta is a shared commitment between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Canada and Alberta BSE Surveillance Program. A network of approximately 300 private veterinarians is readily available in the province to respond to producers’ calls on potentially eligible animals, to examine those animals and to collect samples when eligible.
It is very important to test enough of the right type of samples for BSE to demonstrate to the international community that BSE is present at very low levels and is decreasing in Canadian cattle, and to demonstrate that control measures are working. This is essential for maintaining Canada’s status as a “controlled risk” country for BSE, as recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). This status is critical to maintaining, regaining and expanding market access for beef and beef products, bovine genetics and cattle in general. The cattle industry will benefit from a growing domestic and international demand.
Producers are encouraged to call a veterinarian if they have animals aged 30-to-107 months that are diseased, distressed, non-ambulatory or recently dead, or older animals with neurological signs. Producers must have possession of the animals for at least 30 days, in order to provide enough clinical history. The Canada and Alberta BSE Surveillance Program continues to reimburse $225 for eligible samples. Producers don’t have to pay veterinarians for visiting their farms to asses an animal for BSE eligibility.
Contact:
Canada and Alberta BSE Surveillance Program
780-644-2148
