Mad Cow Disease
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), otherwise known as mad cow disease, is spread among cattle when their feed contains infectious material from other cattle or sheep, which get a similar disease called scrapie.
News FlashThe Food and Drug Administration’s recent decision to allow the sale of meat and milk from cloned animals leaves consumers at risk and releases another questionable technology into the food supply. Read our statement. And check out our report on mad cow disease regulation violations. |
Mad cow disease was first identified in Great Britain in 1986, when ranchers noticed their cows getting sick and being unable to walk. Since then, this frightening disease has spread into Europe, Asia, and North America, where it has killed more than 100 people, forced farmers to preemptively kill millions of cattle, and devastated the beef industry. Scientists believe mad cow disease is spread when cattle eat nervous system tissues, such as the brain and spinal cord, from other infected animals. In turn, people who eat these diseased tissues can get vCJD, a terrible disease that causes dementia and is always fatal. The United States has found two cases of mad cow disease in cattle, which led dozens of countries to ban American beef.
While the U.S. has strengthened some rules to protect the public from mad cow disease, they have not gone far enough. Practices are still allowed which can spread mad cow disease, such as allowing cows to eat waste from the floors of poultry houses, cattle blood, and processed leftovers from restaurants. The government needs to fix these loopholes to protect the consumer. Help us pressure the industry and the government to stop the spread of mad cow disease.
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Fact Sheets
Reports
- Where's the Local Beef? — Local beef. Sustainable sausage. They’re what a ...
- BSE Non-compliance Record Analysis — This report details mad cow disease regulation vio ...