China and the Philippines have suspended imports of Canadian beef following a cow was detected in Alberta in December with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, said Monday the Canadian Department of Agriculture.
© Axel Tardieu / Radio-Canada
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a progressive fatal disease of the nervous system of cattle.
The move follows South Korea’s import suspension last month following Canada reported its first case of BSE in six years.
China is the world’s largest importer of beef and Canada’s third largest export market, according to the breeders association Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA).
China has taken similar action once morest Brazil following the country confirmed cases of BSE. It resumed imports in December following a three-month hiatus.
The cow did not enter the food chain
Canada, the eighth largest exporter of beef, reported a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in December in an 8.5-year-old cow in Alberta.
His case is atypical, that is, it is a form of BSE that can occur naturally in older cattle, as opposed to the classic mad cow disease, which is caused by an animal. who eats contaminated food.
The three countries that have suspended Canadian imports are seeking more information on the case, said Dennis Laycraft, executive vice president of the CCA.
We expect these [suspensions] are of short duration», this Dennis Laycraft. We were able to manage them.»
The cow was euthanized on the farm and did not enter the human or animal food chain, says the Canadian government.
According to Dennis Laycraft, the disruption did not have a noticeable impact on Canadian prices.
The first confirmed Canadian case of BSE was detected in 2003.
With information from Rod Nickel
