Published Date: 1997-02-10 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> BSE and feed ban - Canada (02)
Archive Number: 19970210.0323

BSE AND FEED BAN - CANADA (02)
==============================
[see
BSE and feed ban - Canada 970203124811]

Date: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 08:59:56 +0000
From: Oz <Oz@upthorpe.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Re: PRO/AH> BSE and feed ban - Canada
In message <199702031737.MAA06387@satellife.healthnet.org>, Tim Sly
<tsly@acs.ryerson.ca> writes
>[Public comment and discussion on a similiar policy are being finalized at
>this time in the U.S. Since there has been no epidemiologically
>significant occurrence of disease on either side of the border, the push to
>ban MBM from feed is worrisome. BSE does not exist in North America, so
>the policy seems to be driven by uncertainity more than risk.
I am not clear if the ban is for feeding MBM to cattle, or to all
mammals and even poultry. Because of the absence of BSE in N.America
this would seem to be very excessively extreme.
Personally I would have thought that banning MBM in all cattle feed
except for use in final finishing would provide more than enough safety
margin even if some concealment were to be occurring. The problem in the
UK primarily (in fact almost totally) stemmed from feeding cattle with a
long enough lifespan to develop the disease to an infective level. This
means youngstock, dairy cattle and stock bulls. Providing this is
avoided it is hard to see how an epidemic can occur. One should not
confuse the problem with trace contamination that occured in the UK
through feed mills with the situation in the US. The MBM going through
the feed mills at that time was highly infectious to cattle, a situation
which does not pertain to N. America.
Note the need for proper policing of users.
>Although,
>the market for beef can be damaged critically if BSE were to occur, it
>seems that economically and ecologically (what is for example the swine
>industry going to do with their dead pigs?) a ban is an extreme measure.
>Has there been any good economic studies done which include supply and
>demand effects for both MBM and beef over a significant period of time? -
>mod. pc]
MBM is an excellent feed for pigs and poultry and can be fed to them at
high inclusion rates. Meat scraps have been part of their diet for
centuries so it's not exactly unnatural. (Pig swill for example).
--
Holtz de Baar
[A response that we have seen already to the USA FDA ban is that local
renders will not pick up dead stock any more at any price. As a result some
owners have discovered their local veterinary school who charge less for a
necropsy, which includes the subsequent incineration. This cannot last. MHJ,
ProMED-AHEAD Moderator]
...............................................mhj

--
*##########################################################*
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at <http://www.promedmail.org>.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org
(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from a
human being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.
############################################################
############################################################