MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Canada searching for cattle with BSE

Canada is “actively” trying to check 141 milk and beef cattle that are potentially contaminated with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE, commonly known as “mad cow” disease.

The cattle were born between 1995 and 1997 in the same farm where the latest case was detected earlier this week.

Preliminary findings indicate that at least one of the cows was exported to United States where she was sacrificed.

"These animals present a theoretical risk and that is why we are actively trying to locate them", said Gary Little form the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Canada adopted similar measures after the first case was reported in May 2003 and once again in December 2003 when a case detected in Washington State proved to have come from a farm in Alberta.

The bans on Canadian cattle and beef since the first case was reported have cost the industry over 4 billion US dollars.

However the nominated US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, a dairy farmer, anticipated that the new case should not have a major impact in bilateral food trade relations.