Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Prevention and Control
Information about how to prevent and control further spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).
Safety Precautions
To prevent BSE from entering the United States, APHIS has restricted the importation of certain cattle products from the United Kingdom and other countries where BSE was diagnosed.
The European Union recently determined that feed of nonruminant origin was potentially cross-contaminated with the BSE agent. USDA has taken emergency action to prevent potentially cross-contaminated products from entering the United States.
- Since 1989 APHIS has prohibited the importation of live ruminants from countries where BSE is known to exist in native cattle.
- In 1997 APHIS extended these restrictions to include all of the countries in Europe.
- Effective August 1997 FDA ruled to ban feeding meat-and-bone meal and other prohibited materials.
- In February 2000 the State of Montana established an official order prohibiting animal protein derived from mammalian tissues in ruminant feeds.
- Since December 2000 USDA has prohibited all imports of rendered animal protein products, regardless of species, from Europe.
Montana Official Order
Current scientific data indicate that animal protein derived from mammalian tissues in ruminant feeds may be a means of transmission of BSE.
Although BSE has not been diagnosed in Montana, uncertainty about the origin and transmissibility of BSE requires measures to prevent the establishment and amplification of BSE in Montana through ruminant feed.
An official order concerning this issue was established by the Montana State Veterinarian in February 2000. The order includes, but is not limited to, cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, deer, elk, and antelopes.