BSE Timeline

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BSE Timeline
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December 9

• A non-ambulatory dairy cow arrives at Verns Moses
  Lake Meats
• Slaughter plant - Moses Lake, WA
• Animals condition is attributed to complications
  from calving.
• Consistent with USDAs standard testing protocols
  for BSE, samples are taken from the animal and
  all potential high-risk material (central nervous
  system tissue) is diverted out of the human food
  supply and into rendering.

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December 11

• Samples from the animal arrive at USDA's National
  Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames,
  IA.
• Because the animal had no neurological signs at
  slaughter, it was not considered to be a higher
  priority for BSE testing.

4
December 22

• Preliminary test results are positive for BSE
• NVSL conducts further testing

5
December 23

• Further test results are positive for BSE.
• Secretary Veneman announces a "presumptive
  positive" case for BSE.
• A sample from the animal is hand-carried to the
  United Kingdom for final confirmatory testing at
  the BSE world reference laboratory in Weybridge,
  England.

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December 23 (cont)

• APHIS' epidemiological investigation begins.
• Quarantine placed on herd in Mabton, WA,
• Index Animal Herd

7
December 24

• USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service
  initiates a Class II recall of meat (10,410
  pounds) from 20 cows slaughtered on December 9 at
  Verns Moses Lake Meats.
• USDA determines disposition of three calves from
  index animal
• One died shortly after birth in October 2001.
• One is a yearling heifer in the index herd
• One is a recently born bull calf Sunnyside, WA
• Both under State quarantine

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December 25

• UK world reference laboratory confirms USDA
  diagnosis of BSE.
• Traceback of index animal continues.
• It is believed likely that the index animal was
  purchased into Mabton herd from a dairy cattle
  finishing farm in Mattawa, WA.

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December 27

• USDAs traceback investigation indicates that the
  affected cow was likely imported from Canada in
  2001
• Likely 6-1/2 years old, rather than 4-1/2 years
  old as the last owners records had indicated.
• Investigative efforts continue and involve
  Canadian officials.
• USDA team departs Washington for Japan pursue
  trade talks.

10
December 28

• FSIS continues to trackback the distribution of
  any recalled meat to ensure compliance with the
  recall.
• Primary distribution - Oregon, Washington,
  Nevada and California.
• Also distribution to Alaska, Montana, Hawaii and
  Idaho, as well as the U.S. territory of Guam. (
  later found not to have received product)
• Traceback of the index animal continues.
• USDA is also continuing to trace the 73 other
  cows that came in the same shipment.

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December 29

• USDA confirms - index animal was approximately 6
  ½ years old at the time of slaughter.
• USDA conducting DNA tests to verify that the
  correct animal has been identified.
• Tracebacks of the index animal, along with the 73
  other cows from the same shipment continues.

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December 29 (cont)

• USDA identifies 8 additional cows from the same
  herd that may have entered the United States.
• FSIS recalled meat products
• distributed to 42 locations
• 80 percent - Oregon and Washington.
• FSIS verifying that distributors are complying
  with requirements to notify their customers.

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December 30

• Traceback of the index animal continues
• USDA Canadian officials conduct DNA testing of
  the index cow.
• Traceback of index cow, USDA determines
• 82 cattle (including positive cow) were cleared
  for shipment into the United States.
• USDA verifying numbers location
• Initial Canadian information suggested only 74 of
  the 82 cattle on the health certificate were
  shipped to the United States.

14
December 30

• Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announces
• Downer cattle immediately be banned from the
  human food chain
• Non-Ambulatory disabled
• Some specified risk materials are prohibited
• Any cattle targeted for BSE surveillance will no
  longer be marked as inspected and passed until
  confirmation on a negative test is received
• Dorsal root ganglia, clusters of nerve cells
  connected to the spinal cord along the vertebrae
  column, in addition to already-prohibited spinal
  cord tissue, will be prohibited in products
  labeled as meat

15
December 30

• Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announces
• Air-injection stunning of cattle will be
  prohibited
• Mechanically separated meat in human food will be
  prohibited
• A verifiable system of national animal
  identification will be immediately implemented

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December 31

• Traceback investigation
• August 28, 2001 Canadian health certificate
• 82 eartag numbers - herd dispersal Alberta,
  Canada.
• One of those eartag numbers matches that number
  on the BSE-positive cow.
• 9 of 82 are part of the index herd in Washington
  
• Currently, USDA has information that suggests
  that 81 of the 82 animals crossed the border into
  the United States.

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January 2

• USDA confirms that 81 of the 82 animals listed on
  the Canadian health certificate entered the
  United Sates through Oroville, WA September 4,
  2001.
• includes index cow
• USDA has 11 of the 82 cattle definitely accounted
  for
• One is the index cow
• Nine are those known to be in the index herd
• One animal is on the Mattawa premises
• Also, USDA believes one animal may still be in
  Canada

18
January 2

• Tracebacks - other 70 animals continue
• 3 Facilities are under hold orders during
  investigation.
• Index herd
• Facility with index cows recently born bull
  calf
• Dairy operation in Mattawa
• one animal from the original herd of 82 is
  located.

19
January 6

• USDA Canadian officials announce DNA evidence
  BSE Positive Cow in Washington State linked
  toAlberta, Canada Herd
• Not a Native Born Case in US
• Began depopulation of bull calf operation

20
January 8

• Depopulation of bull calf operation complete
• USDA - New Rules published
• Specified Risk Material Prohibited in Food
  Supply
• From all cattle 30 months of age or older
• Prohibit Air injection stunning
• No passed and inspected on tested cattle
• Expanding Prohibition Advanced Meat Recovery
  Systems

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January 19

• USDA has located - 23 of 81 cows
• Imported from Canada in Sept 2001
• 23 traced cows - all in Washington State
  facilities
• Located 3 of 17 Cows in dispersal sale
• Do Not know if other 14 are in US
• Selective Depopulation of Index Herd
• 129 animals euthanized and tested
• Thus far, 30 samples completed all negative