Rod Nickel

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters ) – China has suspended imports from Canada of beef because of Canada’s December detection of a BSE-infected cattle. This was confirmed by a spokesperson at Canada’s agricultural department on Monday.

These moves are in response to South Korea’s import ban last month. This was after Canada had reported its first case of BSE for six years.

According to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, China is the largest importer of beef, veal and other meats in the world. Canada, however, ranks third on the list. China took similar steps against Brazil, after it confirmed BSE cases. After a three month interruption, imports were resumed in December.

BSE in cattle is a serious disease of the nervous systems.

Canada is the 8th largest exporter of beef and veal. In December, a BSE-infected beef cow aged 8 1/2 years in Alberta, Canada was reported.

Canada’s most recent case of BSE is an atypical one. This means that it can happen naturally in older cattle, as opposed to classic BSE which is caused by animals eating feed contaminated.

Dennis Laycraft (CCA executive vice president) said that the three countries who have decided to suspend Canadian imports want more details.

He stated that there has been no noticeable effect on Canadian prices from the disruption.

Laycraft explained that the suspensions would be brief in length. It was manageable.

According to Canadian authorities, the cow was killed on the farm. It did not go into the animal food chain.

It was 2003 that the first Canadian confirmed case of BSE (a traditional form) was discovered. The result? 40 closed export markets. Many of these markets have been reopened for many years.