Did anyone happen to notice that in the news last Monday there was another reported case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy? Yup pards, this time it was in California. It was amazing to me that the second thing from the reporter`s mouth was, "Officials state that the public was never in danger".
The first case of an unknown disease affecting cattle was reported in the United Kingdom in 1986. By November 1987, emergency procedures were put into effect to try to contain it. Prior to then, it was common practice in Europe (and many other parts of the world), to feed cattle the comminuted left-overs of the slaughtering process. This "bone meal", sometimes contained parts of the cadavers of sick and injured cattle, sheep, or poultry. Many cattle ranchers purchased the commercially-produced feed advertised as a "protein supplement".
The first reported case of BSE in North America was in Alberta, Canada during December 1993. In May 2003, another case was reported there. In December of that year, the United States announced its first case of BSE, later confirming that it was a cow of Canadian origin imported to the states. In 2005, a case appeared in Texas and most recently, on April 23, 2012, the disease raised its ugly head in California.
Now, take it from an old cattleman... bovines are herbivores by nature, eating monocotyledons-angiosperms (grass). Only man could screw up the diet of his best stock by feeding them ground up bones and chopped up meat. It reminds one of another disease yet being eradicated following centuries of feeding hogs the entrails of butchered stock containing the parasite nematode worm known as trichinella spiralis. Will we ever learn "not to mess with mother nature"?
BSE is a TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) commonly known as mad-cow disease. The origin of the disease itself remains unknown. It is equally neurodegenerative and fatal in all breeds of cattle, most often affecting those of four to five years of age. The disease causes a "spongy" degeneration in the brain and spinal cord and has an incubation period of 30 months to 8 years. Although BSE may be found in virtually all tissues of an infected carcass, including blood, it is most commonly transmitted to human beings by consumption of food products (offal) of the brain, spinal cord, or digestive tract of infected cattle.
The process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape is called "folding". This is the process by which polypeptides gain their functional three-dimensional structure called a "random coil" - effected by amino acids interacting with each other. Several neurodegenerative diseases are believed to result from the accumulation of amyloid fibrills formed by misfolded proteins and scientists believe the infectious agent in BSE is a specific type of misfolded protein called a "prion". These prion proteins carry the disease between individuals and cause deterioration of the brain. In the case of BSE, the normal alpha helical - shaped protein molecules are distorted into a beta pleated sheet - the disease-causing shape of the particular protein. Once the process begins, it increases exponentially, forming plaque fibers with the microscopic appearance of "holes" in the brain - a "sponge". In humans, the disease is known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (called CJD).
What are we doing about the problem? In 1997, the FSIS instituted laws prohibiting the feeding of any mammalian byproduct to domestic ruminants including cows and goats. Yet unbelievably, the byproducts of these ruminants can still be legally fed to pets or other livestock including pigs and poultry! Worse, it remains legal for ruminants to be fed byproducts made from these animals.
There is now pending legislation to end the use of cow blood, restaurant scraps, and poultry litter (feathers, fecal matter etc.).
It is most interesting to note that wherever a ban on feeding cattle meat-bone meal to cattle, a significant reduction has occurred in countries where the disease was present. In countries where BSE is not present, import control, feeding regulations, and excellent surveillance have been effective tools. Now, by law in the UK, the brain, spinal cord, trigeminal ganglia, intestines, eyes and tonsils from cows are classified as SRM or "Specified Risk Material", and must be disposed of appropriately.
What does the future hold? More restrictions and regulations. I believe that eventually we`ll see an end to the use of blood in sausages and more tightly controlled regulations in offal products. Ultimately man must learn to stop feeding his animals... products from other animals!
Anybody want to join me for a tuna fish sandwich? Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
