An atypical case of bovine spongiform Encephalopathy was found in an older beef cow at a slaughter plant in South Carolina. It is the seventh case identified in the U.S. The animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health in the United States.
Atypical BSE generally occurs in older cattle and rarely and spontaneously arises in all cattle populations . . . there is no treatment for BSE.”
Source: AgDaily, May 23, 2023. Link.
Also see: All about BSE (mad cow disease), FDA. Link. BSE is a progressive neurologic disease of cows thought to be caused by a protein called a prion. People can get a version of BSE called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Neither vCJD nor BSE is contagious. Sheep, goats, mink, deer and elk can get sick with their own versions of BSE. Cats are the only common household pet known to have a version of BSE called feline spongiform encephalopathy.
Also see: Prevalence of deadly CWD in some Alberta deer hits 23 percent, CBC News, May 20, 2023. Link. Debbie McKenzie, PhD, said hunters can take their deer to be tested by the province. If a deer is positive for CWD it’s strongly recommended not to consume its meat.