"MAD COW" SCARE UNFOUNDED
by Owen Blickensderfer
Mott farmers and ranchers can sleep at night now that North Dakota state veterinarian Vance Billington declared a local herd to be free of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). "It was a case of semantics, really" says Billington. "Back in 1986 when BSE was first reported in Great Britain, I knew right away we would have problems when they gave it the nickname of "Mad Cow " Disease."
Area rancher Bud Mavis agrees. "I just wish that people would stop
using the obsolete term"Mad Cow Disease." We had a case of someone
overhearing something that another person did not say, and then passing
incomplete information along without getting all the facts in the matter.
Everything got blown out of proportion."
Last
Thursday state authorities descended on the ranch of area cattleman Brad
Finkelmeister and quarantined the farm’s entire herd for immediate
testing. Before long, the team of veterinarians centered their probe on
number "57H," a Herford cow with a twisted disposition. "Nobody
could get near her," says Vance Billington. "That cow is just
nothing but mean. Obviously, 57H needs some serious counseling for anger
management and a prescription for Valium."
Cow number 57H.
Bovine Medical Team Members soon converged on the Pheasant Café, a prominent coffee shop. After exhaustive interviews with local wags, it was obvious that the person who alerted State authorities was confusing BSE, Mad Cow Disease and a "mad cow."
State Extension research veterinarian Ronald Petersen had a few things to say about Brad Finkelmeister. "That man is clearly the most uncooperative, mean spirited, hard headed, nastiest person to walk the face of the earth,"said Petersen. "He tried to run us off with a shotgun right after he set his dog on us. Brad Finkelmeister and cow number 57H must share the same mean gene."
State officials are relieved at the outcome. Vance Billington said, "This was an excellent opportunity to test our emergency response team and get out of the office for a few days. We are pleased to certify that North Dakota and the United States are still free of BSE."
Things are getting back to normal in the "very quiet" town of Mott, North Dakota.
