U.S. and Canadian authorities revealed that an animal born to the same herd at roughly the same time as an Alberta dairy cow that tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy was shipped to the United States in February 2002. Because it presumably was fed the same diet as its cohort, which Canada has admitted included ruminant product, the animal is suspect for BSE.

The animal was exported for immediate slaughter, and according to Ron DeHaven, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service administrator, "USDA, in collaboration with FDA, is currently tracing the disposition of this animal and will provide further details as the investigation evolves."

DeHaven noted that even at the height of the BSE outbreak in Europe, it was rare for more than one animal from the same herd to develop the disease. He added that in 2003, after Canada's first reported case of BSE, "a small number of birth cohorts were traced to the United States."

As was the case then, he said, "USDA will make every reasonable effort to obtain and provide information about the animal as well as any other birth cohorts that are traced to the U.S. through Canada's epidemiological investigation."