cuz ya know, in nature, cows often grind up their own chickens

[Guest guest]

Feds rule out ban on abattoir waste in cattle feed

 

 

 

OTTAWA (CP) - Federal officials have ruled out a ban on feeding

slaughterhouse waste to cattle even though some government scientists

say such a ban is the only way to be sure of stopping mad cow disease.

 

Brian Evans, chief veterinarian for the Canadian Food Inspection

Agency, said a ban would not be based on science and would be

impossible to enforce.

 

Britain and other European countries have maintained such a ban for

years and it has been under study in Canada. But a panel of foreign

experts advised against the idea, said Evans.

 

" We proposed it as an option back in June last year in order to look

at what the merits were but the international panel in fact said,

don't do that. "

 

Evans said the European approach is based on public perception rather

than science.

 

Under current Canadian regulations, cattle cannot be fed remains from

other ruminants, including sheep and deer which can carry brain-

wasting diseases linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

 

But cattle can still be fed the remains of horses, pigs, chickens and

fish. Cattle blood and fat can be used in cattle feed, and many

calves are weaned on cattle blood. Also, cattle remains can be fed to

other animals such as pigs and horses.

 

Critics say there is a risk of cross-contamination at feed mills and

some scientists suggest cattle blood could be infective. Critics also

say there's little to stop unscrupulous farmers from giving rations

designed for hogs and chickens to cattle.

 

The Canadian Press has learned that last May, in a letter to

Assistant Deputy Health Minister Diane Gorman, four Health Canada

scientists urged Canada to ban the use of slaughterhouse waste in

feed.

 

" We consider that the primary cause for the transmission and spread

of this disease, animal feeds containing rendered materials of other

animals, has been allowed to prevail for much too long, " said the

letter signed by Cris Basudde, Shiv Chopra, Margaret Haydon and

Gerard Lambert.

 

" We urge that to contain this disease, a complete and immediate ban

must be placed on the use al all such materials in any kind of food

and other products for both people and animals. "

 

The scientists, all veterinarians, have a history of speaking out on

public health controversies.

 

A number of other scientists and consumers groups have also called

for a ban.

 

The U.S.-based Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports

magazine, has called on Washington to " outlaw the feeding of the

remains of any mammal to any animals that humans eat. "

 

But Evans said evidence for a ban is lacking.

 

" It's not science-based to ban everything, to ban fish meal, to ban

everything, to ban other species where BSE has never been diagnosed. "

 

Evans also said it would be impossible to prevent some farmers and

mills from using carcasses in feed.

 

" If you ban everything, all you're doing is driving underground into

an illegal market those materials because unless you are at every

rendering plant every day and can follow every load of that material

and can see it buried or incinerated, there's no way. "

 

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