The U.S. Department of Agriculture has lifted a quarantine
on two dairy farms in California.
The quarantines were put in place when a cull cow tested
positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow’s disease).
The quarantine was lifted when the U.S.D.A.’s labs
determined that the “atypical form” of BSE did not come in via feed.
The cow’s one surviving offspring of the last two years
has been located, euthanized and tested negative for BSE.
The hunt is still on
for perhaps a dozen birth cohort cattle that are still alive and should be
screened for BSE.
