Oh Give Me a Home Where the Sane Cattle Roam

It looks like Canada is experiencing its 4th case of mad cow since 2003.

Mad-cow Found in Animal Born After Feed Ban

Curiously, the cow in question was born 2.5 years after a ban on culprit feed was put into place.

Canada is downplaying this episode:

"As little as one milligram of contaminated feed could cause BSE."
- Dr. Brian Evans, chief veterinarian at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

I guess it's reassuring that there was as little as 1 mg. of banned animal tissue in all of Canada's livestock feed, and that it only passed the choppers of this one cow, and since "the infected cow did not enter the food supply so there is no risk to consumers", we can relax and go ahead and add a little ground beef to this Sunday's chili.

I understand health officials and beef industry workers don't want to alarm the public or in any way disturb import, export, or retail sales of beef. But when they present such an incredulous story, they reveal outright contempt for the intellect of consumers.

Just go ahead and cry "Houston, we've got a problem." You'd be surprised how far honesty and transparency will get you. Well ... at least you'll be able to sleep at night.

By the way, the US reinstated imports of Canadian cattle in July, 2005. Canada is currently the number one supplier of cattle to the US:


Chart source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association, US Beef Imports Through August Continue at Record-setting Pace