030639 Canada to Study Feed Ban on Cattle Brains

Winnipeg, Manitoba - Canada will consider banning cattle brain and spines from food and animal feed, as recommended by international experts examining its single case of mad cow disease, but officials said on Friday they would need time to make the changes.

Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief said changes to the meat processing system were complicated by Canada's reliance on the United States as a market for live cattle, and by two different inspection systems within Canada.

"You just can't say to a processing plant, boom, (the ban) starts tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock," he told reporters in a conference call, noting that officials are talking with industry, provincial governments, and with their U.S. counterparts on what changes should be made.

Canada asked the international veterinary panel to examine its beef industry after it reported a case of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, which is thought to be spread when brains, spines and other "specified risk materials" from cattle are fed to other cattle.

The case, reported May 20, stopped Canadian beef exports and devastated its industry -- the beef sector estimates it lost C$550 million ($407 million) in the first month of export bans alone.

Beef importing countries have been waiting to study the recommendations as they consider their trade bans.

The experts said Canada's diseased cow likely ate contaminated feed early in her life, and it's possible that other Canadian cattle also ate contaminated feed.

"A plan for the safe removal, collection and destruction of the (specified risk materials) should be immediately developed," the panel said in its report.

The panel also recommended more tests on old and sick cattle, and more measures to enforce an existing ban on feeding protein made from cattle to other cattle.

Until now, Canada has not had to segregate and destroy the brains and spinal cord material because the Paris-based Office International des Epizooties designated Canada as free of mad cow disease.

But Vanclief said the single mad cow case means that Canada will now face different OIE requirements.

"Whatever is done and needs to be done as far as removing, for example, specific risk material, is in all likelihood going to have to happen across North America," he said.

He said U.S. officials recognize they will likely need to mirror Canadian policy changes because so many Canadian-born cattle end up in U.S. feedlots and slaughter plants.

The United States has come under pressure from Japan and South Korea, which want guarantees that U.S. beef shipments do not include Canadian cattle.

Japanese technical officials were in Canada this week to examine food safety and question Canadian officials.

Brian Evans, Canada's chief veterinarian, said the talks were "extremely positive" and the Japanese officials will now share the information with politicians in that country.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien will likely soon call Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to discuss the ban, and will raise the issue with South Korean Prime Minister Goh Kun next week, Canadian officials said.

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