June 26, 2004 Calgary Sun (Alberta, Canada) by MICHELLE MARK,

The U.S. Agriculture Department announced yesterday an American animal may have tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and will be retested at a federal veterinary laboratory in Iowa for confirmation.

The USDA said animal health officials reported the first "inconclusive" test result for the brain-wasting disease since the government began using rapid test kits earlier this month as part of a program to test more cattle.

The faster test carries a greater risk of false positives. But the discovery of a U.S. animal that may have tested positive for mad cow disease should not immediately impact U.S. beef exports, said John Clifford, USDA's chief veterinarian.

"We don't think, at this point in time, this would affect trade with our trading partners," he said.

"It's very likely this animal could be negative (for mad cow disease)."

The USDA's animal health laboratory in Ames, Iowa, will retest the animal's brain samples using more sophisticated immunohistochemistry tests, which can take four to seven days to complete.

The USDA refused to identify the suspect animal's age, its location or any other information about it.

"Because the test may very well turn out to be negative, we're not going to disclose this information at this time," Clifford said.

Local cattlemen, meanwhile, are adopting a wait-and-see attitude on the case.

"We've seen what overreacting to these kinds of situations can cost us," said Alberta Beef Producers chairman Arno Doerksen.

"It's a concern, but according to science, that there will be additional cases is not unexpected."

Last week, federal Agriculture Minister Bob Speller announced live Canadian cattle could be moving into the U.S. as early as mid-August.

But, Doerksen said promises based on speculation and not on hard facts do more damage than good to those struggling to survive in the beef industry.

"Every time it doesn't happen, it's a harder blow and cuts a little deeper," he said.

Alberta Cattle Feeders' Association spokesman Ron Axelson said it is expected more cases of BSE will be discovered in the next few years -- about one-in-one million