# Presentation: 377681

## Teaching WorkshopBovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

- Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

## Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

- On January 12, 2004, FSIS issued an interim final rule that covered:
- Requirements for the disposition of non-ambulatory disabled cattle.
- As well as the prohibition of Specified Risk Materials (SRMs) in human food.

## Definition

- Non-ambulatory disabled cattle are:
- [Cattle]  “that cannot rise from a recumbent position or cannot walk, including, but not limited to, those with broken appendages, severed tendons or ligaments, nerve paralysis, fractured vertebral column or metabolic conditions.”

## BSE Risks

- Surveillance data from European countries with BSE indicate that the cattle with a greater incidence of BSE are:
- Dead cattle
- Cattle that cannot rise from a recumbent position
- Cattle that show clinical signs of a Central Nervous System (CNS) disorder

## BSE Risks

- Testing
- There is no sensitive and reliable test for BSE in live animals.
- Post-mortem tests:
- Can only indicate that cattle have the disease, at the earliest,  two to three months before the onset of the clinical disease.
- May show negative for an animal which does have BSE.

## BSE Surveillance in Europe

- Has also shown:
- Clinical signs of BSE in non-ambulatory disabled cattle infected with BSE cannot always be differentiated from other conditions which may make the animal non-ambulatory disabled.

## Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

- Cannot be slaughtered
- Applies to:
- Federally-inspected plants
- State-inspected plants
- Custom-exempt plants
- Imports

## Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

- Include:
- Animals which became non-ambulatory disabled on the way to the slaughter plant.
- Animals which became non-ambulatory disabled on the plant premises, such as when they are being unloaded from the truck.

## Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

- In rare cases:
- A normal, healthy animal sustains acute injury on the way to the knock box.  The FSIS veterinarian can allow the animal to proceed to post-mortem.

## Cattle Prohibited from Slaughter

- Before January 12, 2004:
- Dead (other than from slaughter)
- Dying
- Showing clinical signs of Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders
- Added on January 12, 2004:
- Non-ambulatory disabled cattle

## Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

- All non-ambulatory disabled cattle presented for slaughter will be condemned.
- They cannot be taken into the plant for slaughter or be conveyed to any part of the plant used for edible products.

## Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle

- Plant must:
- Humanely handle, euthanize, and remove them in a timely manner so that an insanitary condition does not arise.
- FSIS inspection personnel will verify that plant properly disposes of them.

## Emergency Slaughter

- Cattle can no longer be slaughtered under the emergency slaughter provisions.
- Includes ambulatory cattle, as well as non-ambulatory disabled.
- Previously allowed under Code of Federal Regulations 311.27.

## General FSIS Inspection Procedures

- FSIS veterinarian:
- Conducts ante-mortem inspection on all abnormal cattle presented for slaughter.
- Condemns all non-ambulatory disabled cattle.
- Condemns all cattle showing CNS symptoms, even if animal is ambulatory.
- Non-ambulatory disabled cattle _cannot_ enter plant.

## Removal for Other than Slaughter

- Owner or plant can request that condemned cattle be set apart and held for treatment.
- If livestock are removed for reasons other than slaughter, owner or plant must obtain permission from the local, State, or Federal livestock sanitary official having jurisdiction.

## Residue Issues

- Residue testing will continue as before on all cattle presented for slaughter.
- FSIS is concerned about the use of anti-inflammatory agents to assist animals in remaining ambulatory.
- FSIS will continue special projects for these compounds and incorporate them into the enforcement program as soon as possible.

## FSIS Guidance

- FSIS is continuing to issue notices and to provide answers to questions about non-ambulatory disabled cattle and other requirements published on January 12, 2004.
- We are attempting to answer all questions, whether at Teaching Workshops such as this, through the FSIS website, or through our Technical Service Center.