this mad cow thing

I would add one more fact to all the speculation. We had one cow in Canada that tested positive (fact). Each and every calf that cow had was hunted down and tested (fact) and every calf that those calves had and any resulting calves were found and tested (fact). Out of all those calves and any cow, calf, or bull that had any contact with that particular cow (well over 2500 cows plus their calves), not one other animal in a very linear and specific that involved vets from 7 other countries (done to prove to other countries that we were not hiding anything and to prove to our consumers that we were not hiding anything from theme) and not one single offspring of that cow or any animal that had contact with that cow or shared a feeding program with that cow has ever been found to be infected. I would then that take information and beleive that BSE is not transfered in vitro or through milk. In recent years, with all that BSE floating though our dangerous food chain, only one person in Western Canada has ever come up with the human variant and that person had only immigrated to Canada recently. Another fact, Alberta has offered a $5 million payout to any man woman or child that can conclusively prove that they have contracted the the disease from beef and as of yet, we seem to have no takers. I wonder why that is? For those of you that are still remaining calm and continue to eat beef, you have my respect. The men and women that raise the food you eat, deseve your support in this very difficult time.

Again, any number of things can cause a cow to have a 'downer' status.'

A common one is partial paralysis caused by calving. The cow may not be able to stand up (and she will be killed where she lay and disposed of locally) or unable to work normally, such as dragging one leg. Those are the ones which go to the stockyard. Apparently this is what happened to the cow in WA. She was able to go into the livestock sales ring and then into the haul truck on her own. During the trip to the stockyard she became unable to get up. No doubt she was pulled off the trailer and slaugthered. USDA has a polcy any cattle which cannot walk on their own into the kill cage must have brain samples sent to one of its labs.

Other reasons are broken legs (not all that uncommon), severe foot infections (not all that uncommon), severe arthritis (not all that uncommon) or back injury caused by fighting. It is possible for a cow to get down in a cattle trailer and other cattle lay on it, causing a pressure injury.

Certain animals must not be put into the human food chain. This includes those which are obviously sick, such as severe pink eye, or cancer eye (not all that uncommon in Herefords). Those are designated for the pet food industry.

My understanding is animals which die in a feetlot are sent to a rendering plant where they are converted into meat and bone meal.

I reemphasize, sciencists don't know absolutely what caused the MCD outbreak in England. Leading theory is they were fed M&BM from sheep infected with scrapie; however, that has been done for a long, long time. Theory then was modified to a change in the processing method which lowered temperatures. However, scrapie and MCD appear to be prion related. Prion are nasty little things which are neither a bacteria or virus and are virtually indestructable. Thus, back to the drawing board. Another leading their was at the time the British Dept. of AG was pushing use of pour-on insecticides on cattle for fly cotnrol. It contained orangeophorphorus, a variation of which is used in some nerve gasses. It might have been the trigger. There does appear to be a high correlation between the area of its highest usage and the numbe of confirmed MCD cases; however, not high enough to be considered the cause. But what about humans? Orangeophorphorus is also used in insecticide sprays on fruits and may have still have residue which may have also been a trigger. Interesting concept, but again nothing conclusive.

As noted, vCJD showed up in one young woman who was lifetime vegan. What was her exposure. In most cases only one family member came down with cCJD, while the entire family was likely exposed.

MCD has been found in herd which have been closed for a long time (no new stock introduced) and no feed brought in from off the farm. What was their exposure source? Almost everything from bird droppings in feedbunks to cosmic dust from comet was looked at and all ruled out.

Even if there were full-blown MCD in the U.S., and resulting cases of vCJD, apparently the level of infection and death would be a small fraction of those who die annually from simply a bad case of the flu.

On the testing in England. Our tests came back positive. A sample was sent to England for independent confirmation testing. I think the USDA would have been extremely lax for not having done so.

Work is being done on a blood test which initial blind testing showns to be 100% reliable in identifying carriers of MCD. It is now being tested in Europe. When it is certified, likely all dairy cattle in North America and Europe will be required to be tested, probably on an annual basis. It may or may not be extended to beef herds. I do not recall MCD is a beef animal, just dairy ones. Anyone know for sure?

There is no reliable information MCD prions can be in muscle meat UNLESS it is cross-contaminated during slaughtering. Old method was to cut the spine in half, sending bone and spinal tissue on adjoining carcass parts. New method is the entire spinal membrane has to be removed before the carcass is parted out. I haven't heard what is done with the brain, as other head parts are used. For example, the cheeks are (OK - were) sold to Mexico where they ended up in tacos. The tongues are (OK - were) sold to Russia where they were made into tongue sausage. Lips end up in lipstick - really!

I am not saying not to be concerned; however, there is absolutely no reason either to panic or change one eating habits.

Ken S. in WC TN

go ahead make your fun kids, you been watchin to much TV.
ROSS NEVER DID LIKE THAT NAME,GIVES ME THE RUNS

I'm just waiting to see ground beef selling for 99 cents a pound again; I'll fill up my freezer!

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Donna, I'm waiting for boneless chuck roasts to go to $1.19 then I'm buying up a bunch and grinding them into ground burger. That way I can control the fat and there's less chance of contamination.
Did you ever notice that now a days hamburger/ground beef sometimes smells sour when you cook it? I check the expiration dates religiously but still it has a smell I don't care for. Do you have that same experience or is it mostly in the stores in my area only? I've tried different places and it's happened at different places. Some of them grind their meat on site while others get it preground-makes no difference in getting that smell. :no:
I will be raising my own red meats this coming year but until them it's tough to find good fresh burger.

Blood like, circulates. The blood in your mouth will, like, totally, go to your brain, man. (not that I am trying to substantiate some of those claims made. If 2 in every 9 deer had the disease, we would be dead )

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Often the grocery stores take roasts, steaks, etc. that doesn't sell, even after discounting, and grind that into burger. So it's aging a bit by the time it becomes ground beef. There's a difference in the beef in various stores, too. When I find a store that consistently has good-guality meat, I patronize them.

Meanwhile, we have nothing to fear but fear itself. One cow diagnosed in Wisconsin, and taken care of properly, doesn't steer me away from beef!

"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

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People are more important than things.

well ken my beef eating habits look like they are going to change drasticly i will be eating as much of my own beef as i can looks like i wont be buying any hogs this year...beef sausage.... as prices go down the better to eat my own beef than anything else can you say adkins...lol. and as for kys coment of buying sour tasting beef all comercial beef taste off to me a spoiled taste... comercial pork has a rancid fat overtaste to me and chicken has a chicken s*** taste/smell to me these are reasons i raise my own meat. as for home butchering i have not splitt a spinal colume in years too much work with a hand saw and the kleaver leaves nasty bone slivers so i run down the column removing the meat. the cuts look a little different but taste great . beef sausage for 10 lb meet itsppepper tspnutmeg tspginger tsb sage 8tbsalt 3+tbsp of sugar br sugar honey ect this is kosher i like to mix in some pork fat / trimmings and use some of the chinese schuzwan wild pepper and add some hot peppers ground best to add the spices before you grind the grinder will mix it better than you can in any othe manner as far as bse/mcd i am convinced only that the expersts have a lot to learn thare are so many details unknown for example most trace it bace to scrapy infected sheep brits had been eating infected sheep for cenuries brains on toast/scrambled brains ect.. ... would have wiped out the scots and brits long ago if it was that simple.... lots of theries but hard facts are well as full of holes as a bse infected brain.........

I don't own any cattle or beef futures.

I don't have close friends or family that do.

I do practice reason and logic.

I can gather and sort information using said reason and logic.

My family was scattered for Christmas leaving me on my own.
I built a neat fire with Pecan coals and grilled a big Porterhouse steak.
Yum! Yum! and lets hear it for reason! Glen

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I don't own any cattle or beef futures.

I don't have close friends or family that do.

I do practice reason and logic.

I can gather and sort information using said reason and logic.

My family was scattered for Christmas leaving me on my own.
I built a neat fire with Pecan coals and grilled a big Porterhouse steak and ate it listening to the overly excited TV news about Mad Cows.
Yum! Yum! and lets have reason. Glen

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The more a man travels, acquires wisdom and learns about life, the more likely he is to marry a Country Girl.

Mad Cow Disease?-been dealing with it for years- hits every month around here....unmistakeable symptoms- irritability, short tempered, hates anything male.
Best to leave well enough alone....

It's not "mad cow" that keeps me away from supermarket beef, but rather growth hormones, drugs, and factory style farming and corporate slaughterhouses. If I can't raise it myself- I find a local organic grower/farmer and pay more. I eat less of it, but the quality makes it a real treat. I feel I am investing in the continuation of small farming and open space, plus my own family's healthy.

In some cases the blood feels it's a wasted trip and takes a detour, Dude!

Like......like......like Ya Know!

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