Teaching Workshop Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE

1
Teaching WorkshopBovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE)

• Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

2
Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

• On January 12, 2004, FSIS issued an interim final
  rule that covered
• Requirements for the disposition of
  non-ambulatory disabled cattle.
• As well as the prohibition of Specified Risk
  Materials (SRMs) in human food.

3
Definition

• Non-ambulatory disabled cattle are
• Cattle that cannot rise from a recumbent
  position or cannot walk, including, but not
  limited to, those with broken appendages, severed
  tendons or ligaments, nerve paralysis, fractured
  vertebral column or metabolic conditions.

4
BSE Risks

• Surveillance data from European countries with
  BSE indicate that the cattle with a greater
  incidence of BSE are
• Dead cattle
• Cattle that cannot rise from a recumbent position
• Cattle that show clinical signs of a Central
  Nervous System (CNS) disorder

5
BSE Risks

• Testing
• There is no sensitive and reliable test for BSE
  in live animals.
• Post-mortem tests
• Can only indicate that cattle have the disease,
  at the earliest, two to three months before the
  onset of the clinical disease.
• May show negative for an animal which does have
  BSE.

6
BSE Surveillance in Europe

• Has also shown
• Clinical signs of BSE in non-ambulatory disabled
  cattle infected with BSE cannot always be
  differentiated from other conditions which may
  make the animal non-ambulatory disabled.

7
Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

• Cannot be slaughtered
• Applies to
• Federally-inspected plants
• State-inspected plants
• Custom-exempt plants
• Imports

8
Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

• Include
• Animals which became non-ambulatory disabled on
  the way to the slaughter plant.
• Animals which became non-ambulatory disabled on
  the plant premises, such as when they are being
  unloaded from the truck.

9
Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

• In rare cases
• A normal, healthy animal sustains acute injury on
  the way to the knock box. The FSIS veterinarian
  can allow the animal to proceed to post-mortem.

10
Cattle Prohibited from Slaughter

• Before January 12, 2004
• Dead (other than from slaughter)
• Dying
• Showing clinical signs of Central Nervous System
  (CNS) disorders
• Added on January 12, 2004
• Non-ambulatory disabled cattle

11
Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

• All non-ambulatory disabled cattle presented for
  slaughter will be condemned.
• They cannot be taken into the plant for slaughter
  or be conveyed to any part of the plant used for
  edible products.

12
Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

• Plant must
• Humanely handle, euthanize, and remove them in a
  timely manner so that an insanitary condition
  does not arise.
• FSIS inspection personnel will verify that plant
  properly disposes of them.

13
Emergency Slaughter

• Cattle can no longer be slaughtered under the
  emergency slaughter provisions.
• Includes ambulatory cattle, as well as
  non-ambulatory disabled.
• Previously allowed under Code of Federal
  Regulations 311.27.

14
General FSIS Inspection Procedures

• FSIS veterinarian
• Conducts ante-mortem inspection on all abnormal
  cattle presented for slaughter.
• Condemns all non-ambulatory disabled cattle.
• Condemns all cattle showing CNS symptoms, even if
  animal is ambulatory.
• Non-ambulatory disabled cattle cannot enter plant.

15
Removal for Other than Slaughter

• Owner or plant can request that condemned cattle
  be set apart and held for treatment.
• If livestock are removed for reasons other than
  slaughter, owner or plant must obtain permission
  from the local, State, or Federal livestock
  sanitary official having jurisdiction.

16
Residue Issues

• Residue testing will continue as before on all
  cattle presented for slaughter.
• FSIS is concerned about the use of
  anti-inflammatory agents to assist animals in
  remaining ambulatory.
• FSIS will continue special projects for these
  compounds and incorporate them into the
  enforcement program as soon as possible.

17
FSIS Guidance

• FSIS is continuing to issue notices and to
  provide answers to questions about non-ambulatory
  disabled cattle and other requirements published
  on January 12, 2004.
• We are attempting to answer all questions,
  whether at Teaching Workshops such as this,
  through the FSIS website, or through our
  Technical Service Center.