(JP)Second Holstein confirmed with mad cow disease

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http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20011122a1.htm

 

Second Holstein confirmed with mad cow disease

 

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Wednesday

it has discovered a second case of mad cow disease in

its ongoing inspections, and a panel of experts

convened by the ministry formally confirmed the case

later in the day.

The cow was found at a meat inspection center in

Hokkaido, the ministry said. The 67-month-old Holstein

was born and raised on farmland in the village of

Sarufutsu, northern Hokkaido, according to the

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry.

 

The cow, slaughtered Monday, was suspected of having

the disease in an initial test and then tested

positive Wednesday morning in a confirmation test at

Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary

Medicine, according to the health ministry.

 

The cow had not shown any neurological symptoms

peculiar to the disease, formally known as bovine

spongiform encephalopathy.

 

None of the meat, internal organs or any other part of

the cow has been shipped, the health ministry said.

 

The carcass will be incinerated.

 

The Hokkaido Prefectural Government said it has

started tracing all cows shipped by the Hokkaido

farmer, who currently has 77 cows.

 

The animal in question was one of two the farmer took

to a processing center to be slaughtered; the other

tested negative.

 

The ministry said it has stopped the shipment and

distribution of around 50 cows slaughtered the same

day at the same slaughterhouse, in addition to all of

the farmer's cows.

 

The ministry will investigate the contamination route

along with the farm ministry and other institutions.

 

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters at his

official residence: " It must be understood that the

cow in question will not be put on the market. We must

take steps so as not to trigger (public) concern.

 

" This also indicates that inspections are being

carried out thoroughly. A system to investigate the

cause and the infection route (of the disease) and to

ensure that sick cows do not circulate (in the market)

has been established. "

 

Said health minister Chikara Sakaguchi: " It is

extremely disappointing " that another cow has been

found with the disease but " it is good that we have

been conducting strict tests with the determination

that we must not have one single (infected) cow reach

dinner tables. "

 

In reference to concerns that the number of infected

cows would increase, Sakaguchi said: " The problem is

what the (cow's) feed was in the past. (The disease)

will not spread from this cow. "

 

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told a regular

news conference in the morning that the discovery of

the second case does not mean meat in Japanese markets

is unsafe because inspections are being conducted on

all beef being sold.

 

But he admitted Wednesday's development could trigger

public concern about beef that has already gone on

sale.

 

" If one becomes two, and increases even more, one must

worry about whether there were no such cases in the

past, " Fukuda said. " But this is an issue that should

be commented on after figuring out the source of the

infection, and is not something I can remark on

lightly now. "

 

On Sept. 22, the agriculture ministry confirmed

Japan's first case of the deadly disease -- the first

outside Europe. On Oct. 18, the health ministry began

a nationwide screening of all cows for human

consumption. Around 88,000 cows had been tested as of

Tuesday, according to the health ministry.

 

About 1.3 million cows are processed for consumption

every year.

 

Mad cow disease is said to be carried by meat-and-bone

meal, a protein feed made from the crushed internal

organs, skin and bones of cows.

 

But the Hokkaido farmer reportedly did not feed the

cow MBM, according to the Hokkaido government.

 

It is still not known how the first cow became

infected.

 

When the government began the testing procedure it

declared that domestic beef which goes to market would

be free of the disease. By early this month, beef

prices at Tokyo's central wholesale market returned to

nearly the same levels as last year.

 

Mad cow disease has been linked to the deaths of more

than 100 people in Europe.

 

The disease was first found in Britain in the

mid-1980s. About 180,000 cows with the disease have

been found in Britain so far.

 

The Japan Times: Nov. 22, 2001

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