January 8, 2004 Guelph Mercury (Ontario, Canada)

BODY: Federal officials have ruled out a ban on feeding slaughterhouse waste to cattle even though some government scientists say such a ban is the only way to be sure of stopping mad cow disease.

Brian Evans, chief veterinarian for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said a ban would not be based on science and would be impossible to enforce.

Britain and other European countries have maintained such a ban for years and it has been under study in Canada. But a panel of foreign experts advised against the idea, said Evans.

"We proposed it as an option back in June last year in order to look at what the merits were but the international panel in fact said, don't do that."

Evans said the European approach is based on public perception rather than science.

Under current Canadian regulations, cattle cannot be fed remains from other ruminants, including sheep and deer which can carry brain-wasting diseases linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

But cattle can still be fed the remains of horses, pigs, chickens and fish. Cattle blood and fat can be used in cattle feed, and many calves are weened on cattle blood. Also, cattle remains can be fed to other animals such as pigs and horses.

Critics say there is a risk of cross-contamination at feed mills and some scientists suggest cattle blood could be infective. Critics also say there's little to stop unscrupulous farmers from giving rations designed for hogs and chickens to cattle.

The Canadian Press has learned that last May, in a letter to Assistant Deputy Health Minister Diane Gorman, four Health Canada scientists urged Canada to ban the use of slaughterhouse waste in feed.

"We consider that the primary cause for the transmission and spread of this disease, animal feeds containing rendered materials of other animals, has been allowed to prevail for much too long," said the letter signed by Cris Basudde, Shiv Chopra, Margaret Haydon and Gerard Lambert.

"We urge that to contain this disease, a complete and immediate ban must be placed on the use al all such materials in any kind of food and other products for both people and animals."

The scientists, all veterinarians, have a history of speaking out on public health controversies.

A number of other scientists and consumers groups have also called for a ban.

The U.S.-based Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine, has called on Washington to "outlaw the feeding of the remains of any mammal to any animals that humans eat."

But Evans said evidence for a ban is lacking. "It's not science-based to ban everything, to ban fish meal, to ban everything, to ban other species where BSE has never been diagnosed."