US mad cow case 'atypical' say investigators

A California cow diagnosed with mad cow disease in April has been found to have an atypical version, according to laboratories associated with the World Organization for Animal Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The quarantine has been lifted on the farm where the latest case originated as the case nears completion, said the USDA. Out of several hundred cattle that may have been born at the same time and area as the infected cow, the investigation seeks roughly 10 to 12 animals that may still be alive and have ownership records that allow tracing. The rest of the birth cohort are no longer alive or otherwise ruled out.

USDA: existing safeguards protect food supply, beef is safe

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has reiterated that existing safeguards protect the American food supply and that consuming beef and dairy products is safe, in the wake of a recent confirmed case of mad cow disease in California.
"This animal was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply, or to human health in the United States," said the USDA of the infected cow. The animal has since been humanely euthanized.
The U.S. has a system of three interlocking safeguards against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE, that protects public and animal health. The first is the removal of specified risk materials — or the parts of an animal that would contain BSE should an animal have the disease — from all animals presented for slaughter in the U.S. The second safeguard is a feed ban that protects cattle from the disease. The third safeguard is an ongoing BSE surveillance program that allows the USDA to detect the disease if it exists at very low levels in the U.S. cattle population and provides assurances to consumers and international trading partners that the interlocking system of safeguards in place to prevent BSE are working.
In addition, the USDA has announced a new tracing method for meat and poultry contaminated with E. coli, meant to track tainted product more effectively.

Cattle prices drop on US mad-cow disease news

Cattle futures for June delivery fell by the exchange limit of 3 cents, or 2.6 percent, to settle at $1.11575 a pound at 1 p.m. April 24 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange after news broke of a dairy cow infected with mad-cow disease in California. The price is the lowest level since July 1, 2011 and the biggest percentage drop on a most-active contract since May 23, 2011.
“It’s all fear,” said Chad Henderson, a market analyst for Prime Agricultural Consultants Inc. “I don’t know if it’s going to affect beef demand much. The problem is the perception will run this market right now.” Prices fell 21 percent in December 2003, when the U.S. government confirmed a case of mad-cow disease had been found. U.S. beef shipments then dropped 82 percent to 460.3 million pounds in 2004 as importers shunned the meat.
A chain reaction could affect grain prices, as well. Corn futures dropped 0.7 percent to close at $6.08 a bushel at 1:15 p.m. April 24 on the Chicago Board of Trade.