November 19, 2004
Purdue experts available for comment on mad cow disease
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University experts in agricultural economics and animal disease diagnostics can speak about what a possible second case of mad cow disease could mean to the United States.
On Thursday (Nov. 18) the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it was investigating a possible second case of mad cow disease after rapid-screening tests returned inconclusive results. Officials said they expect to have conclusive test results sometime next week.
The following Purdue experts can talk about a variety of topics related to mad cow disease and its impact:
• Chris Hurt, Purdue agricultural economist, can discuss the effect this will have on the U.S beef prices and exports. CONTACT: Hurt, (765) 494-4273 (office), (765) 463-7559 (home), hurtc@purdue.edu
• Simon Kenyon, associate professor of livestock population health and a nationally recognized expert in animal health and nutrition, was in England during foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the 1960s and has studied foreign animal disease threats at the USDA research center on Plum Island. CONTACT: Kenyon, (765) 494-0333 (office), (317) 876-7559 (home), skenyon@purdue.edu
• Leon Thacker, head of Purdue's Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab, can discuss the symptoms, testing procedures and safeguards in place to detect and protect against animal diseases. CONTACT: Thacker, (765) 494-7460 (office), (765) 463-5340 (home), (765) 404-5829 (cell), thackerl@purdue.edu
• Ken Foster, a Purdue agricultural economist, can talk about the USDA's animal tracking system and what effect it could have on tracing the whereabouts of a suspect animal. Foster also can talk about what costs are involved in animal tracking. CONTACT: Foster, (765) 494-1116, kfoster@purdue.edu
• For additional experts on animal disease, please contact Beth Forbes, News and Public Affairs Coordinator for Agricultural Communication, at (765) 494-2722, forbes@purdue.edu
Writer: Kay Hagen, (765) 494-6682
Related Web site:
Purdue University Mad Cow information
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page
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