Food Safety

Mad Cow Update: Two Dairies Quarantined, Offspring Put Down

Remember how the USDA and the cattle industry tried to assure us last week that the euthanized dairy cow that was found to have the fourth recorded U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) was just old and developed the disease through a natural, random cell mutation? Well, the USDA apparently isn’t totally sure that’s the case, and they’re still “examining feed records” at the Tulare County dairy where the diseased cow was found and tracking down feed suppliers. Also, the dairy and another associated with it remain quarantined (which they say is standard procedure), and the USDA tracked down one of the cow’s offspring at a farm in another state and euthanized it. They then tested its brain tissue, and tests came back negative for mad cow. But sure, nothing to worry about, folks! [AP/HuffPo]

Mad Cow Update: Two Dairies Quarantined, Offspring Put Down