Improvements in BSE testing protocols by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will continue the agency’s science-based approach to identifying and announcing potential BSE cases, according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

APHIS has announced that it will now wait until the second and third concurrent rapid tests are conducted before declaring a test sample inconclusive. Only if one of these tests is reactive will APHIS announce the result as an inconclusive, at which point a confirmatory test will be conducted at National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.

This protocol is consistent with manufacturer’s instructions, which state that a sample is inconclusive for BSE if either of a set of duplicate tests conducted after the first rapid test is reactive. At that point an immunohistochemistry (IHC) test – the gold standard test for BSE – is performed.

“We suggested this change to USDA, and support their action,” according to NCBA President Jan Lyons, a beef producer from Manhattan, Kan. “It conforms to the manufacturer’s recommendations and is consistent with practices by other countries, which have identified the best scientific practices to identify the disease. Their move should help protect our industry by maintaining consumer confidence and reducing market volatility.”

This announcement comes after the future’s markets experienced a lot of volatility after rapid tests on two different calves came back inconclusive. Further testing confirmed the samples were negative, however cattlemen expressed concern about market volatility in the wake of such announcements.

According to APHIS Chief Veterinarian John Clifford, APHIS has completed proficiency testing of all BSE labs, including reviewing data from the first 60 days of testing. Its protocol change is based on this review. Rapid tests on more than 28,000 samples have been conducted since June 1. ©