Mad Cow Disease
Mad Cow Disease
Scientific Name: Bovine
Spongiform Encepalopathy
It is found on any type of
animal that is cloven hoofed
such as: pigs, sheep, and cattle
Sheep: Scrapie Spongiform
Encepalopathy.
There is a Human form:
Creutzfeldt-Jakobs Disease
Cause:
Feeding cattle/animal bi-products such as meat-n-
bone mill that has an infected prion in it.
Prion-an infected cell with no nucleus that gets in
an animals brain and destroys it by eating away at
the brain causing small holes.
It does not have any life-like functions
Symptoms:
Loss of balance
Staggering
Drunkenness
Loss of appetite
Animals tend to become
aggressive
Foaming at the mouth
Prevention:
Don’t feed cattle animal bi-
products
Watch to make sure you are
feeding your animals safe
feeds
Always vaccinate cattle
properly
Agency Prevention:
USDA requires all imported
meat to be inspected.
US will not import cattle
from Britain.
Animals suspected of the
disease are quarantined.
Effects On the U.S.
Caused great worries for many beef
consumers.
Caused cattle ranchers to take many
precautionary steps.
Although this disease has been found in the
Europe, it has not been known to be in the US.
Millions of dollars have been allocated to
ensure a safe domestic supply of beef.
Working Bibliography
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. 2001.
Health and Human Services Dept.
Rampton, Sheldon Mad Cow USA. Monroe:
Common Courage Press, 1997.
Straiton, Eddie. Cattle Ailments. Ramsbury: The
Crowood Press, 1997.