Ag Department looking at possible case of mad cow

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Agriculture Department says it should have more detailed results in about a week from tests for a possible case of mad cow disease in the US. <br/><br/>Chief veterinarian John Clifford

Sunday, March 12th 2006, 11:52 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Agriculture Department says it should have more detailed results in about a week from tests for a possible case of mad cow disease in the US.

Chief veterinarian John Clifford says a routine but inconclusive test indicated the possible presence of the disease. The agency won't say where the animal was from but says the cow did not enter the human or animal food chain.

Oklahoma is one of the top five cattle producing states in the nation.

More than 150 deaths worldwide from the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease have been linked to humans eating meat products contaminated with mad cow disease. Creutzfeldt-Jakob is a rare but fatal nerve disease.

A 2003 case of mad cow disease prompted a ban on American beef by Japan and many other countries. Japan was once America's biggest beef customer.

Japan reopened its market in December but stopped US beef shipments in January after finding banned parts in veal cuts.