The Rural Voice, 1990-07, Page 20two 5 1 /2"
augers provide
positive gentle
lift
eliminates
troublesome
chains
space saving
vertical
positioning
reverse for
loading out of
mow
low
maintenance —
durable Delron
bearings
all drives
and controls
conveniently
at ground level
AUG -A -BALE
also:
Mow systems —
installation available
RUBOB
MANUFACTURING
R. R. 3, Arthur, Ont.
519-848-3700
519-848-2884
16 THE RURAL VOICE
„„„:
DIAGNOSTI
NO "MAD COW DISEASE" HERE
by Dr. A. J. Rehmtulla — VETERINARY LABORATORY SERVICES
Recently, there has been extensive
media coverage on a newly recognized
disease called BSE (Bovine Spongi-
form Encephalopathy), also unfortu-
nately called "Mad Cow Disease."
Stories in the press have left both
farmers and consumers concerned and
confused. This article will attempt to
give our readers a brief background in
order to alleviate any unfounded fears.
First, Mad Cow Disease is a poor
name. The affected cows do not really
go mad. This debilitating nervous dis-
order causes animals to lose condition
and milk production over weeks or
months. They become progressively
more unco-ordinated and "hyper" (that
is, animals show excessive responses
to stimuli such as noise or touch).
Eventually, animals go down and die
or have to be destroyed.
Second, BSE has not been diag-
nosed in Canada. It was first recog-
nized in cattle in England in 1985 and,
to date, is confined to Great Britain
and Ireland. It has not been diagnosed
outside Britain except for two cows
in Oman, which were imported from
Britain.
Third, there is no evidence that it
is transmissible to other cattle, other
animals, or people, in countries where
the disease exists. So there is no
threat to public health from consum-
ing beef or beef products.
Scrapie, a "slow virus" disease
similar to BSE, has occurred in sheep
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for centuries. It is believed that tis-
sues from sheep infected with scrapie
were incorporated into high protein
supplements fed to cattle. Recent
changes in the rendering process in
Great Britain allowed the organism to
survive, resulting in the appearance
of the scrapie -like disease now called
BSE.
BSE is now a reportable disease
in Canada under the federal Animal
Disease and Protection Act. There is
a total ban on the import of live cattle,
beef, and beef products of British
origin.
Scrapie has always been a report-
able disease in Canada. Occasional
cases of scrapie do occur in Ontario,
but provisions are in place under Ag-
riculture Canada regulations for the
destruction of high-risk scrapie -
infected sheep flocks. As an added
precaution, all dead stock disposal and
rendering plants do not accept any
sheep or lamb carcasses.
In summary, BSE does not pose
any risk to Canadian cattle or people.
The disease was discovered in and has
been confined to the U.K. The import
of cattle and cattle products into
Canada from the U.K. is banned.
Lastly, there is no evidence of
the transmission of the BSE or scrapie
agent to human beings. So there is no
risk to consumer health from the con-
sumption of beef, lamb, or mutton and
their byproducts.0
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