Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is also known as Mad Cow Disease. This disease is a neurological disorder of cattle that results from infection by an unusual transmissible agent called a prion. It is not well understood as to why the protein can become a pathogenic damaging the nervous system of cattle. It is speculated that the infection came from feeding cattle BSE-infected products in the UK. Their has been a dramatic decrease in cases of cows dying from BSE in the US in the last 10 years. A feed ban to cattle was placed on the US and Canada and continues to stay in effect. This prevents cattle from obtaining BSE from food. The BSE is a very low risk in the US but it continues to be a problem in Canada and when transporting Canadian cattle to the US. For more information click here.
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