Get BSE/Ruminant Feed Ban Inspections

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a disease in cattle.

No. USDA's BSE surveillance program is specifically targeted to the population most likely to have the disease, if it is present. This population is NOT clinically healthy animals that would be presented for slaughter.

In 1997, the FDA implemented regulations that prohibit the feeding of most mammalian proteins to ruminants, including cattle. This feed ban is the most important measure to prevent the transmission of the disease to cattle.

USDA conducts surveillance for Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), referred to as "mad cow disease", in cattle to determine if, and at what level, the disease is present in the U.S. cattle population.

Specified Risk Material includes the parts of an animal – such as brain and spinal cord – that are most likely to contain BSE if an animal is infected. It means that, by law, such Specified Risk Material must be removed and destroyed when animals are slaughtered.

The term Feed ban is usually a reference to the regulations that have prohibited the feeding of most mammalian-derived proteins to cattle as a method of preventing the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

In 1997, FDA published a final regulation that prohibits the use of most mammalian protein in the manufacture of animal feeds given to ruminant animals, such as cows, sheep, and goats.

The BSE rule prohibits feeding protein derived from ruminant body parts, such as muscle, organs, and bones to ruminants.