A senior offical with Baker Commodities, Inc. told the Associated Press on Tuesday that a dairy cow at its transfer station in Hanford has tested positive for mad cow disease.
The disease was discovered when workers picked the cow for random sampling, the Associated Press reported. Initial tests came back inconclusive. But on Tuesday, the U.S Department of Agriculture confirmed the cow is the 4th discovered in the U.S. to ever test positive for the disease.
According to CBS News, the cow was already dead, about five years old, and about to be ground for pet food.
"First off, this particular animal did not enter the food supply at any time, so there is no concern about that," said USDA Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. John Clifford in an online video statement.
Officials at Baker Commodities, Inc. do not know which farm the cow came from, the AP reported. But the cow never made it to the company's rendering plant in Kerman.
Mad cow disease is a degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system in cattle.
The USDA said Tuesday that tests show the affected cow had a rare, atypical form of the disease, which generally means that it did not contract it by eating infected feed.
"It affects primarily the brain, the spinal cord, and the retina, but it can also affect other tissues. It causes a progressive neurological deterioration, which means a loss of the nerve function. Which can affect motor function, as well," said CBS47 Medical Expert Dr. Giatri Dave.
Milk is not affected because it does not transmit the disease, the USDA said.
According to Baker Commodities, Inc. website, the company has 21 facilities across the U.S. It recycles dead animals and animal by-products, the website stated.
The U.S. has a number of safeguards in place to protect the nation's food supply, so it is still safe to drink milk and eat beef products, the USDA said.
The infected cow is being held under state authority and will be destroyed, the USDA said.
Stay with CBS47 for continuing coverage on this story.
The disease was discovered when workers picked the cow for random sampling, the Associated Press reported. Initial tests came back inconclusive. But on Tuesday, the U.S Department of Agriculture confirmed the cow is the 4th discovered in the U.S. to ever test positive for the disease.
According to CBS News, the cow was already dead, about five years old, and about to be ground for pet food.
"First off, this particular animal did not enter the food supply at any time, so there is no concern about that," said USDA Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. John Clifford in an online video statement.
Officials at Baker Commodities, Inc. do not know which farm the cow came from, the AP reported. But the cow never made it to the company's rendering plant in Kerman.
Mad cow disease is a degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system in cattle.
The USDA said Tuesday that tests show the affected cow had a rare, atypical form of the disease, which generally means that it did not contract it by eating infected feed.
"It affects primarily the brain, the spinal cord, and the retina, but it can also affect other tissues. It causes a progressive neurological deterioration, which means a loss of the nerve function. Which can affect motor function, as well," said CBS47 Medical Expert Dr. Giatri Dave.
Milk is not affected because it does not transmit the disease, the USDA said.
According to Baker Commodities, Inc. website, the company has 21 facilities across the U.S. It recycles dead animals and animal by-products, the website stated.
The U.S. has a number of safeguards in place to protect the nation's food supply, so it is still safe to drink milk and eat beef products, the USDA said.
The infected cow is being held under state authority and will be destroyed, the USDA said.
Stay with CBS47 for continuing coverage on this story.