GS>From: Gordon Scott <[log in to unmask]>
  >Subject:      Re: Mad Cows (so off topic, please forgive)
 
GS>A clarification here -- I'm not sure how this affair has been
  >reported elsewhere. No-one yet knows the real truth for sure,
  >it may be years before we do.
 
GS>Cattle farmers in the UK were feeding *approved* concentrated
  >feeds to their livestock, typically in ignorance of the actual
  >ingredients. They bought their feed in good faith, unaware
  >that they were feeding processed sheep offal. Many are rightly
  >horrified at what is seen as an offence to nature. For some,
  >their cattle are sick too. For all, the value of their cattle
  >has plummeted. Most are innocent of any malpractice. All are
  >victims of intensive farming practices, the real or imagined
  >consequences and the resulting hysteria.
 
Hi Gordon,
 
  We have the same disease here in humans, mushy brains, we call it "CJ"
in humans. In the US some sheep have little or no brains due to scrapie
or some such thing in the sheep and goats. Feeding cows or cattle dead
sheep or goats that has scrapie can give them BSE, same as feeding them
cows that had BSE. The USDA turned the control of the sheep back to the
sheep herders after a few years of a "search and destroy" quarantine.
They are reconsidering that move right now.
 
The  rate for "CJ" in the US is one per one million people. Thats
20 deaths per year in California, ten's time the number from
"killer bees". There is no accepted scientific proof or link between
eating beef and "CJ" here or over there, as I understand it. But that
will not keep the public from moving away from eating beef especially if
there is an active veg'ee group pushing a little with a lot of out of
text and miss information. This is not new to us as we had a red apple
scare a few years and before that it was cranberries, all based on
mis and out of text information put to use by the lunatic fringe groups
who get their kick's by forcing every one else to suffer.
 
  We in the US do not like to be topped by anyone, and of course we
may well follow your lead, as the first story on a local woman
just dieing from "CJ" was reported on the local boob tube this evening.
It is not a good time here for the cattle or diary industry and in fact
the only livestock people who are doing well are the sheep men who are
getting almost a buck a pound for 100+ lb lambs which is good for them.
Most of the lamb we eat today comes from Australia, but I guess the last
drought reduced their numbers.
 
  I am not worried as I am a beekeeper (we are stout) and would not turn
down some nice cow or sheep brains with scrambled eggs for breakfast if
offered, but have not had any for several years. Humm sounds good, I
will have to get some soon.
 
                                ttul Andy-
 
 
BTW Some researcher's in the US have tried to link "CJ" with the
    use of hormones used to speed up growth in our fat cattle. You
    guy's can't use that excuse as you don't use them or know what
    at tender beefsteak is all about.<G> Always's when we get into
    these dips based on stats, I always think of the 95% of all US
    hard core dope addicts in our prisons started on Mother's milk.
    Don't know what the other's started on. I quit it myself over
    56 years ago, but I still have to control myself when it's offered.
 
 
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