The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has recently confirmed that a mature beef cow from Alberta, Canada was infected with BSE. No part of the animal’s carcass entered the human food or animal feed systems.

Preliminary information provided by the owner and an examination conducted by a private veterinarian estimate that the animal’s age was between eight and ten years of age. Based on this range, exposure to the BSE agent likely occurred either before the feed ban’s introduction or during its early implementation. The estimated age of this animal is consistent with those of previous Canadian cases and exposure to a very low level of BSE infectivity.

A CFIA investigation is underway to locate the animal’s birth farm.