Hasn the federal government monitored cattle to ensure the safety of the meat supply?
The fact is that Department of Agriculture officials have not been seriously looking for BSE cases. Data from the National Veterinary Sciences Laboratories BSE Surveillance program from 1990 to 2000 show that, of approximately 900 million cattle slaughtered, only 11,954 brains (approximately 1 in 75,000) were examined for BSE. In fiscal year 2002, the USDA tested only slightly more19,990cattle for BSE. Further, brain examinations have generally been prompted by the presence of neurological symptoms. However, the symptoms of BSE do not commonly manifest in cattle until about five years of age, which is after the usual age of slaughter. For example, most U.S. dairy cows are slaughtered before four years of age, when even a prion-infected cow is likely to appear healthy. In sharp contrast, Japan tests every slaughtered cow for the disease.
