Oklahoma ag officials say no indication sick animal came through Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ There is no evidence that an animal found to have a case of mad cow disease came through Oklahoma, state agriculture officials said Friday. <br/><br/>``We have no indication from anyone

Saturday, June 25th 2005, 11:12 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ There is no evidence that an animal found to have a case of mad cow disease came through Oklahoma, state agriculture officials said Friday.

``We have no indication from anyone where the herd of origin was,'' said Jack Carson, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. ``All we know is the surveillance procedure in place would've picked it up.''

A laboratory in England confirmed the case after U.S. tests produced conflicting results, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said.

The first case of mad cow disease in the United States was discovered in December 2003. It was found in Washington state in a dairy cow imported from Canada.

Like the first case, the new animal was at least 8 years old, meaning it was born before the United States banned cattle parts in cattle feed, which is how the disease is believed to spread.

Officials would not specify where the case turned up, but Johanns said there is no evidence the cow was imported.

Carson said a warning system for such animals has been in place in Oklahoma for a number of years.

``Any downer cow that is delivered to a slaughter facility is tested,'' he said. ``Downer'' cows cannot walk, Carson said.

Such animals are more likely to show up at processing facilities, Carson said. The last small processing facility in Oklahoma has closed, state, he said.

Mad cow disease _ officially called bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE _ occurs when proteins called prions bend into misfolded shapes. They deposit plaque that kills brain cells and leaves behind spongy holes.