January 2, 2005
By Roberta Rampton
Yahoo News
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - A final laboratory test has confirmed an Alberta dairy cow had mad cow disease, the second case Canada has found in its herd, an industry source briefed by veterinary officials said on Sunday.
"It is positive," the industry source told Reuters after a briefing from the agency.
The animal did not enter the human food or animal feed supply and there was no risk to the public.
Canada's first home-grown case of mad cow disease was found in May 2003 and cost export-dependent farmers an estimated C$5 billion ($4.2 billion) as trade partners closed their borders to Canadian beef and cattle.
The first U.S. case, found in Washington state in December 2003, also affected a cow that had been born in Canada.
The most recent afflicted animal was born in October 1996, the industry source said.
"You've now got a grouping of three animals born very close together in time," the source said, adding the agency was investigating whether the animals shared a common contaminated feed source.
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