§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing how many cattle in the past three years have been certified as suffering from BSE; of these how many were(a) cows of generally recognised milk breeds and (b) cows of generally recognised beef breeds; how many of the cows in each case were (i) under three years old, (ii) between three and six years old, (iii) between six and nine years old and (iv) over nine years; and how many cattle so certified were (1) maiden heifers of milk breeds, (2) maiden heifers of beef breeds, (3) bulls (A) under and (B) over three years, (4) steers and (5) calves.
§ Mr. MacleanFrom when the disease was first identified in November 1986 up to and including 18 M arch 1991 the total number of confirmed cases of BSE in the United Kingdom was 25,826. Out of these, 24 were in cattle whose dams were themselves affected and 23 of these were born before the introduction, in July 1988, of the ban on the feeding of ruminant protein to ruminants, and were470W exposed to a source of food-borne infection. The single remaining case was born in November 1988, after the imposition of the feed ban. This one animal should not have been fed on ruminant-derived protein and its feeding regime, and other possible sources of infection, are being investigated. The possibility of maternal transmission is one that will have to be examined.
In a MAFF research project studying under controlled conditions 316 calves of cows affected with BSE, no animal has yet succumbed to BSE, even though 262 of them are older than the single case already mentioned. Even if this were a case of maternal transmission, it would have no significance for public health. The measures taken to deal with BSE (the slaughter and destruction of suspect animals, and a ban on the use for human or animal consumption of those tissues that might harbour the agent in pre-clinical cases) apply in all cases, regardless of how infection might have been acquired. The only significance for animal health might be that if maternal transmission were found to occur in some cases, eradication of BSE might take rather longer than would otherwise be the case. This was a point addressed by Dr. David Tyrell in his 471W advice to the Government. He concluded that no Government action was necessary to control the use for breeding of the offspring of cattle affected by BSE.
The rest of the information requested is as follows (excluding unattributable cases):
Dairy mixed herds Beef herds Calves 0 0 Maiden heifers 0 0 Under 3 years Cows 101 11 Bulls 0 1 3 to 5 years inclusive Cows 17,542 1,050 Bulls 32 14 Steers 1 0 6 to 9 years inclusive Cows 4,440 334 Bulls 11 3 10 years and over Cows 46 13 Bulls 0 0
United Kingdom usage of: million tonnes Wheat All cereals (excluding rice) Human consumption Animal feed 1Other processes Losses Human consumption Animal feed 1Other processes Losses 1979–80 51.(1.2) 3.9 (0.9) 0.3 (0.0) 0.1 (0.0) 6.4 (0.5) 11.6.(1.0) 3.5(0.3) 0.3(0.0) 1980–81 5.0(1.1) 3.6(0.8) 0.3(0.0) 0.1(0.0) 6.2(0.5) 10.7(0.9) 3.1(0.3) 0.3(0.0) 1981–82 4.8 (1.0) 3.-4(0.7) 0.3(0.0) 0.2(0.0) 6.2(0.5) 9.6(0.8) 3.0(0.2) 0.3(0.0) 1982–83 4.9(1.0) 3.9(0.8) 0.3(0.0) 0.2(0.0) 6.3(0.5) 10.2(0.8) 3.0(0.2) 0.4(0.0) 1983–84 5.0(1.0) 4.0(0.8) 0.3(0.0) 0.2(0.0) 6.3(0.5) 10.2(0.9) 3.1(0.3) 0.4(0.0) 1984–85 4.8(0.9) 4.9(0.9) 0.5(0.1) 0.2(0.0) 6.0(0.4) 10.0(0.7) 2.8(0.2) 0.5(0.0) 1985–86 4.9(1.0) 5.5(1.1) 0.6(0.1) 0.2(0.0) 6.1(0.4) 10.3(0.7) 2.7(0.2) 0.4(0.0) 1986–87 4.9(0.9) 6.2(1.1) 0.7(0.1) 0.3(0.0) 6.2(0.4) 11.2(0.8) 2.7(0.2) 0.5(0.0) 1987–88 5.7(1.1) 5.7(1.1) 0.8(0.2) 0.2(0.0) 6.5(0.5) 10.5(0.8) 2.9(0.2) 0.4(0.0) 1988–89 5.4(1.0) 5.2(1.0) 0.9(0. 2) 0.2(0.0) 6.5(0.5) 10.0(0.8) 3.0(0.2) 0.4(0.0) 1989–90 5.1(0.9) 5.4(1.0) 0.9(0.2) 0.3(0.0) 6.5(0.5) 10.0(0.7) 3.4(0.2) 0.4(0.0) 1Industrial uses, including grains for malting, plus seeds. Notes:
Figures in parenthesis are quantities used as percentage of world production. (0.0) Negligible.
Source: MAFF.
European Community1Usage of million tonnes Wheat (including durum) All Cereals (excluding rice) Human Consumption Animal Feed 2Other Processes Losses Human Consumption Animal Feed 2Other Processes Losses 1979–80 28.0 (6.5) 12.4 (2.9) 2.6 (0.6) 0.6(0.1) 30.7 (2.6) 72.9 (6.2) 15.0(1.3) 1.7(0.1) 1980–81 32.2 (7.2) 13.8(3.1) 3.2 (0.7) 0.6 (0.1) 35.5 (3.0) 86.5 (7.4) — 1.9 (0.2) 1981–82 31.8 (7.0) 14.2(3.1) 3.2 (0.7) 0.6(0.1) 35.2 (2.8) 85.7 (6.9) — 1.8(0.1) 1982–83 30.7 (6.4) 15.5 (3.2) 3.4 (0.7) 0.7 (0.1) 35.4 (2.8) 86.1 (6.7) — 1.9(0.1) 1983–84 30.7 (6.2) 21.2 (4.3) 3.7 (0.7) 0.8 (0.2) 35.5 (3.0) 87.4 (7.3) — 1.8 (0.2) 1984–85 31.5 (6.1) 23.0 (4.4) 3.9 (0.8) 0.9 (0.2) 36.6 (2.7) 90.3 (6.8) 15.6 (1.2) 2.2 (0.2) 1985–86 31.7 (6.3) 22.5 (4.4) 4.1 (0.8) 0.9 (0.2) 36.7 (2.7) 87.8 (6.4) 15.8 (1.2) 2.1 (0.2) 1986–87 31.6 (5.9) 23.5 (4.4) 4.3 (0.8) 0.9 (0.2) 36.6 (2.6) 84.8 (6.1) 15.5 (1.1) 2.1 (0.2) 1987–88 31.9 (6.2) 21.1 (4.1) 4.4 (0.9) 0.9 (0.2) 37.0 (2.8) 80.3 (6.1) 16.0 (1.2) 2.0 (0.2) 1988–89 31.6 (6.2) 21.2 (4.2) 4.9 (1.0) 0.9 (0.2) 36.7 (2.9) 80.7 (6.4) 16.3 (1.3) 2.1 (0.2) 1989–90 31.3 (5.8) 21.6 (4.0) 5.0 (0.9) 0.4(0.1) 35.6 (2.6) 78.2 (5.7) 16.6 (1.2) 1.1 (0.1) 1EC 10 for 1979–80; EC 12 from 1980–81 to 1989–90. 2Industrial usage and seed. Notes:
Figures in parenthesis are quantities used as percentage of world production. MAFF estimates using FAO data or world production. — Not available.
Sources: Eurostat and Commission of the European Communities.