The first case of Mad Cow Disease to be detected in Canada in a decade was confirmed in the Western province of Alberta yesterday.
The United States health authorities immediately placed a ban on all imports of beef, cattle and animal feed from the country. Australia has also banned all Canadian cattle imports.
The herd that the eight year old cow belonged to has been quarantined and as the history of the animal is not fully known, it is yet to be determined whether it contracted the disease in Canada or another country.
Canada is the world’s tenth largest beef producer, accounting for 2.5% of total world output. The US accounts for 78% of Canada’s beef exports and imported $1.1 billion of cattle from the country last year.
