The US Department of Agriculture has confirmed that a cow has tested positive for BSE in Alabama. The cow’s history is now being traced in order to pinpoint the source of the infection. This is the third case of the disease in the USA.

Speaking on March 13, USDA chief veterinary officer John Clifford said, We received a positive result on a Western blot confirmatory test conducted at the USDA laboratories in Ames, Iowa, on samples from an animal that had tested inconclusive” on a rapid screening test performed on Friday, March 10.

The samples were taken from a non-ambulatory animal on a farm in Alabama. A local private veterinarian euthanised and sampled the animal and sent the samples for further testing, which was conducted at one of our contract diagnostic laboratories at the University of Georgia. The animal was buried on the farm and it did not enter the animal or human food chains.

We are now working with Alabama animal health officials to conduct an epidemiological investigation to gather any further information we can on the herd of origin of this animal. The animal had only resided on the most recent farm in Alabama for less than a year.

We will be working to locate animals from this cow’s birth cohort (animals born in the same herd within one year of the affected animal) and any offspring. We will also work with Food and Drug Administration officials to determine any feed history that may be relevant to the investigation. Experience worldwide has shown us that it is highly unusual to find BSE in more than one animal in a herd or in an affected animal’s offspring. Nevertheless, all animals of interest will be tested for BSE.”