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April 6, 2001

TAHC investigates
German cattle imports

The Texas Animal Health Commission, responding to several mentions of German-imported cattle currently quarantined in Texas in recent stories related to BSE ("mad cow" disease), issued a fact sheet the week of March 26.

According to TAHC, 29 animals were imported legally into Texas between February 1996 and September l997. Eight others went to Colorado, one to California, one to Illinois. At the same time, two head were imported from Belgium to Minnesota.

Four of the animals in Texas have been destroyed and tested, with negative results for BSE. Three other of the imports died of other causes, leaving 22 German-imported cattle currently in Texas. The eight in Colorado and the one animal in California also have been destroyed and tested, with negative results for BSE.

The TAHC report noted that in l997, Belgium had its first case of BSE, believed to have been the result of feeding contaminated feed. It was also determined at that time that contaminated feed was being moved throughout the European Union, and the U.S. stopped allowing the importation of cattle and meat products from the EU. All EU cattle in Texas were located, and the Texas Animal Health Commission, in cooperation with the USDA in Texas, in March l997, placed quarantines on these animals. Likewise, state veterinary officials placed quarantines on the European imports shipped to Colorado, California and Illinois.

According to the OIE (Office Internationale Epizooties) in Paris,
France, which keeps the reportable disease data for purposes of international trade, Germany had a BSE-positive animal in l992. It is important to note that this was an imported animal from Great Britain. Three more animals imported to Germany were positive in l994, and two imported animals in l997.

Not until November 2000 did Germany have domestic cattle affected by the disease. Forty-seven domestic animals in Germany have tested positive.

Texas' 22 imported animals have been held under quarantine, while the cattle industry—spearheaded by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association—raised funds to augment the federal indemnity of $2,000 per animal. A professional appraiser has determined the fair market value of the animals. None of the animals have shown any signs of BSE. Funding from the industry has been secured, and the animals will be euthanized.

The TAHC said brain tissue from each animal will be collected for testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. The carcasses of the animals will be incinerated, and the meat will not enter the food chain. The offspring have not been restricted, as there is no evidence of vertical transmission from asymptomatic animals to calves.

Also currently under quarantine are four animals from Great Britain in Vermont and the two from Belgium in Minnesota.

Carla Everett, public information officer for the TAHC, said, "No signs of BSE or positive test results have been found in any imported animals. Furthermore, all import records have been double-checked by the USDA to ensure there are no other high-risk imported animals in the U.S."

For more information, call the TAHC toll free at 1-800-550-8242.