http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...sSector&rpc=43
Brazil government denies reports of 2010 mad cow case
BRASILIA | Fri Dec 7, 2012 1:22pm EST
(Reuters) - Brazil's Agriculture Ministry said on Friday that the country has not registered any case of mad cow disease, denying reports on some local media web sites that said the disease had cropped up in the southern state of Parana two years ago.
[snip]
"The animal in question didn't manifest the disease and didn't die of this cause," said Executive Secretary Jose Carlos Vaz, one of the agriculture ministry's top officials.
Officials could not confirm the exact cause of death of the pasture-fed female used for breeding purposes, but said it had septicemia and mineral deficiencies. Its keepers notified authorities after it was found collapsed on the ground. It died 24 hours later. A neurodegenerative disease would have taken much longer to cause death, officials pointed out.
The OIE has maintained Brazil's status as a country with an insignificant risk of BSE, the officials said, adding Brazil would pursue legal action if necessary against any importer trying to exploit BSE claims to block imports of Brazilian beef.
Asked why it had taken two years for Brazil to send a sample of the cow's tissue to the OIE for testing on Dec. 1, officials said the country adhered to the established protocol of conducting exhaustive tests at home first...
BRASILIA | Fri Dec 7, 2012 1:22pm EST
(Reuters) - Brazil's Agriculture Ministry said on Friday that the country has not registered any case of mad cow disease, denying reports on some local media web sites that said the disease had cropped up in the southern state of Parana two years ago.
[snip]
"The animal in question didn't manifest the disease and didn't die of this cause," said Executive Secretary Jose Carlos Vaz, one of the agriculture ministry's top officials.
Officials could not confirm the exact cause of death of the pasture-fed female used for breeding purposes, but said it had septicemia and mineral deficiencies. Its keepers notified authorities after it was found collapsed on the ground. It died 24 hours later. A neurodegenerative disease would have taken much longer to cause death, officials pointed out.
The OIE has maintained Brazil's status as a country with an insignificant risk of BSE, the officials said, adding Brazil would pursue legal action if necessary against any importer trying to exploit BSE claims to block imports of Brazilian beef.
Asked why it had taken two years for Brazil to send a sample of the cow's tissue to the OIE for testing on Dec. 1, officials said the country adhered to the established protocol of conducting exhaustive tests at home first...
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