1. Teaching Workshop Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
Overview and Awareness Meetings

2. Definition of BSE Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy:
A chronic degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) of cattle
Commonly called “mad cow disease”

3. History of BSE First diagnosed in Great Britain in 1986
Worldwide there have been more than 180,000 cases
95% have been in the United Kingdom
In 22 countries, including the first positive in the U.S.

4. BSE Symptoms in Cattle
Changes in temperament such as nervousness or aggression
Abnormal posture
Incoordination and difficulty in rising
Decreased milk production
Loss of body condition despite continued appetite

5. BSE in Cattle No treatment No test to diagnose BSE in live animal
Infective agent
Most accepted theory is that it is a prion, an abnormal form of a normal protein known as a cellular prion protein
Data suggest that the cause may be animal feed containing contaminated meat and bone meal

6. First BSE Positive in United States
Presumptive positive on December 23, 2003
Confirmed positive on December 25, 2003

7. BSE Positive in U.S. – Timeline
December 9, 2003
A non-ambulatory Holstein dairy cow arrives at Vern’s Moses Lake Meats, in Moses Lake, Washington
Animal’s condition attributed to complications from calving
Samples taken for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) BSE surveillance testing program

8. BSE – Timeline December 11 December 22
Samples arrive at USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa
December 22
Preliminary test results are positive

9. BSE – Timeline December 23 Further test results are positive
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announces a “presumptive positive”
APHIS begins epidemiological investigation and places quarantine on herd where cow last resided in Mabton, Washington

10. BSE – Timeline December 24 December 25
FSIS initiates Class II recall of all meat (10,410 pounds) from group of 20 animals slaughtered at plant on December 9
APHIS determines disposition of three calves from the infected cow
December 25
World reference laboratory in Weybridge, England confirms BSE positive

11. BSE – Timeline December 27 – Traceback of infected cow indicates:
It was imported from Canada in 2001
Was likely 6 ½ years old, instead of the 4 ½ years the last owner’s records indicated
Investigative efforts involve Canadian officials
December 29
USDA identifies 8 more cows from the same herd in Canada that may have entered the U.S.

12. BSE – Timeline December 30 January 5
Agriculture Secretary Veneman announces additional safeguards against BSE
January 5
USDA announces decision to depopulate the bull calf operation in Sunnyside, Washington, that includes a calf born to the infected cow

13. BSE – Timeline January 6 January 12
DNA evidence helps to verify, with a high degree of certainty, that the BSE positive cow originated from a dairy farm in Alberta, Canada
January 12
FSIS publishes 3 rules and a notice which take effect immediately

14. Close Working Relationships
Throughout this process, FSIS has worked closely with APHIS, state officials in affected states, and the Canadian Government.

15. FSIS Regulatory Authority
Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
FSIS issues regulations governing the production of meat and meat food products prepared for distribution in commerce.
A meat food product is adulterated if, among other circumstances, it bears or contains any poisonous or deleterious substance that may render it injurious to health (21 U.S.C. 601(m) (1) or if it is for any reason unsound, unhealthful, unwholesome, or unfit for human food (21 U.S.C. 601 (m) (3)).

16. Published Following BSE Positive
Published in Federal Register January 12, 2004:
Interim final rules with request for comments:
Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle
Advanced Meat Recovery (AMR) Systems
Prohibition of the use of air-injection stunning devices
Notice on BSE Surveillance Program

17. Awareness Meetings
FSIS inspection program personnel held awareness meetings:
In all plants that slaughter cattle or process bone-in parts of cattle carcasses.
At the first weekly PBIS meeting after receipt of the awareness meetings notice.
To explain the new requirements.
To review 4 checklists with plant management.

18. Awareness Meetings
FSIS inspection program personnel informed plant management:
Of the need to reassess the hazard analysis and determine what steps were necessary to ensure that the plant’s products did not contain materials which might transmit BSE.
That if plants did not address procedures and controls, a Notice of Intended Enforcement (NOIE) was to be issued.

19. Documenting the Awareness Meetings
Inspection program personnel documented the original awareness meetings in a memorandum of interview. It included:
Who was present.
Date and time the meeting was held.
What was discussed.
Any documents that were shared with plant management.

20. Awareness Meetings By the second weekly PBIS meeting:
FSIS inspection program personnel began verifying that the plant had incorporated appropriate procedures and controls into its:
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Plan;
Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs);
Or prerequisite programs.

21. Awareness Meetings After the second weekly PBIS meeting,
Inspection program personnel verified that the requirements were being met utilizing the HACCP or the Sanitation SOPs procedure,
and documented noncompliance accordingly.

22. For More Information on BSE
Log onto the FSIS website at
Extensive USDA information
Links to other BSE websites
FSIS Technical Service Center (TSC)
Phone