North Dakota State University -- NDSU Agriculture Communication
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo ND, 58105-5655, Tel: 701-231-7881, Fax: 701-231-7044
agcomm@ndsuext.nodak.edu

June 10, 2003

 

Beef Specialist Gives Guidelines to Producers to Prevent BSE

With a recent outbreak of mad cow disease in Canada, a North Dakota State University beef specialist reminds producers of the U.S. regulations and laws designed to prevent the disease from occurring here.

Mad cow disease or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), is a fatal disease which can be spread by the consumption of an infected animal protein. The disease is caused by a self-replicating prion (protein) and affects the nervous system of cattle.

Greg Lardy, an NDSU Department of Animal and Range Sciences beef specialist, reminds producers that a law prohibiting the use of animal proteins in feeds and requiring record keeping of those feeds has been in place since 1997.

"This law is designed to head off any potential problems with the disease in the United States," Lardy says. "It bans the use of specific animal tissues in feed for ruminants, and inspections are held to ensure that feed and livestock industries are in compliance."

Feed or feed ingredients that contain the following mammalian proteins are considered prohibited:

  • meat
  • glandular meal
  • meat and bone meal
  • meat by-products
  • meat and bone meal tankage
  • hydrolyzed hair
  • cooked or steamed bone meal
  • bone marrow
  • leather meal
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    Some animal protein products are exempt from the ban, Lardy says. The exemptions include:

  • Non-mammalian tissues, including marine (fish), poultry and vegetable proteins
  • Non-protein or non-tissue feedstuffs such as grease, tallow, amino acids, dicalcium phosphate, fats and oils
  • Protein from pigs, horses, blood and blood products, as well as milk and milk products

    • "The FDA’s Web site provides information on the feed ban and gives a list of prohibited feed products," Lardy says.

    The following Web sites give a specific explanation on these bans:

  • FDA– www.fda.gov/cvm
  • USDA– www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/bse
  • Association of American Feed Control Officials, Inc.– www.aafco.org
  • The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s ban on importation of animal protein from Europe– www.aphis.usda.gov/Ipa/pres/2000/12/reed.12.19.text

    •  

    Renderers, protein blenders, feed manufacturers and distributors also have guidelines for cleaning equipment after feeds of protein sources or animal origin are used. In addition, they must list the kind of animal protein used on feed labels, Lardy says.

    Producers are required to follow these guidelines:

  • Do not feed prohibited animal proteins to ruminants.
  • Carefully read and follow label directions.
  • Keep a record of all feeds purchased that contain any animal protein including invoices, sales receipts and product labels.
  • Keep records at least one year.
  • Keep ruminant and non-ruminant feeds separate. Keep records, label feeds and avoid cross-contamination of feed.

    • Lardy reminds farmers, ranchers and businesses in the feed industry that they are subject to spot checks by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the North Dakota Department of Agriculture to monitor compliance of these rules.

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    Source: Greg Lardy, (701) 231-7660, glardy@ndsuext.nodak.edu
    Writer: Stephanie Renner, (701) 231-8371, srenner@ndsuext.nodak.edu
    Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu