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R-CALF Official Speaks Out Against High-Risk Cattle
Published Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 04:48 AM
R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian who also chairs the group’s animal health committee, charges that the risk of importing BSE cattle into the United States from Canada is substantially greater than what USDA has told the public. Thornsberry’s statement follows the confirmation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of the latest BSE case involving a 6-year old Alberta beef cow.

Canada does not test herd mates of infected cattle to see if there might be other cases of BSE in a particular herd. Thornsberry says, because of that fact, - the United States is missing a huge opportunity to get a more accurate assessment of just how bad Canada’s BSE problems really are. Thornsberry believes - USDA should require Canada to test herd mates for the disease if they want to continue exporting cattle and beef to the United States.

R-CALF USA stands firm in its belief that Canadian cattle, particularly the high-risk cattle over 30 months of age, should not be imported into the United States. Thornsberry says - it is downright irresponsible for USDA to continue to allow these older cattle that were born when BSE was still circulating in the Canadian feed system into the United States.

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