Mad Cow #14

Fresh "Mad Cow" Case In Canada

It's time once again for that same song and dance... this time it's Mad Cow #14. Mad cow disease has struck Canada, with the country's food authorities reporting yet another case on Friday.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said that a six-year-old cow was found to be afflicted with the disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) on a farm in Alberta province.

It assured the Canadians that no meat from the animal has entered the food chain or the animal feed system. This is the 14th case of mad cow disease in Canada which has been declared "safe'' by the World Health Organization after the last case two years ago.

The food agency said it is tracking other animals of the herd which came in contact the diseased cow to know whether they have been infected. Since the disease is caused by the consumption of feed which contains traces of brains and spines of infected animals, the agency is also tracing the source of the feed.

Though Canada banned the use of brains and spines in animal feed in 1997 after BSE outbreak in Europe, the new case is a bad news for the economy and for nearby cattle markets.