As soon as some farmers have detected signs of BSE they have quickly shipped the animal for slaughter to ensure the BSE-free status of their herds. Forged BSE-free certificates are also in circulation. Also on Monday, agriculture minister Hogg detailed tighter controls on beef processors. All carcasses of cattle must be deboned in licenced plants supervised by the Meat Hygiene Service. All trimmings are banned from the food chain and the use of mammalian meat and bonemeat in feed for all farm animals is also prohibited.
Scientists recommend strict enforcement of controls, saying danger is extremely small.
They do not recommend culling the British herd. British beef consumption is dropping sharply and other European countries are refusing to import British beef. Late last week, there were even suggestions that all 12 million cattle in Britain should be destroyed. Mexico immediately imposed a ban on imports of Canadian beef, but because of prompt Agriculture Canada action that ban was short-lived and not copied by other nations. The department arranged for destruction not only of the herd that included the dead cow, but also of live cattle that had been imported from Britain before such imports were banned in 1990.