*EPF406 01/15/2004
Text: USDA Locates Another Cow Linked to BSE Case
(Continues to destroy 130 animals) (410)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has located at a dairy in Washington state another of the 81 cows from Canada of which one tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Washington has ordered the dairy -- which may have as many as seven cows from the group being investigated -- to stop production, according to a January 14 USDA statement.

USDA is continuing to destroy 130 cows that had come in contact with the BSE-positive animal, the statement said. BSE is also known as mad-cow disease.

Japan and Mexico have both sent delegations to the United States to discuss their response to BSE, it said.

Following is the text of USDA's statement:

(begin text)

U.S. Department of Agriculture
BSE Update
January 14, 2004

In regard to the ongoing investigation, USDA has confirmed that one animal has gone to a dairy in Quincy, Washington. USDA believes that as many as seven animals may have been sent to this facility; we are working to confirm how many may remain at this facility. The State has placed a hold on this facility in order to aid the investigation.

Selective depopulation of the index herd [Washington herd of which the infected cow was a part], which began on Saturday, January 10, continues. USDA plans to transport, humanely euthanize, and test approximately 130 animals in the index herd.

To summarize:

-- Eighty-one cows came from Canada with the positive cow. USDA's investigation has yielded the following information:

-- One is the positive cow.

-- One has been located at a dairy in Quincy, Washington. USDA believes that seven may have gone to this facility. USDA is currently reviewing records to determine how many may remain at this facility.

-- Three are under a hold order at a premise in Mattawa and will be removed in the near future.

-- Nine are in the index herd.

-- Some of the remaining cows that came in that shipment may be on the index premises, but at this time the identity of these animals has not been confirmed.

Japan and Mexico have both sent delegations to the United States to discuss the BSE response and ongoing investigation. Specific trade ban information is available at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse_trade_ban_status.html.

Additional information on BSE can be obtained by visiting the USDA website at http://www.usda.gov/BSE. Past BSE updates can be viewed at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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