Will pandemic-type of diseases find their way to our livestock? In all likelihood, the answer is “probably not.” But, what are these diseases such as bird flu, mad cow, foot-and-mouth disease, and scrapie?

When watching television or reading the newspaper, many times these diseases are mentioned in the same breath and seem to be interchangeable. But they’re very different.

Scrapie
Scrapie is a disease of sheep and goats that falls in a category called Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies. Scrapie is a slow, progressive, debilitating, neurological illness that is always fatal.

Many years might pass before an infected animal shows outward symptoms. Clinical signs include: nervous head twitching, lack of coordination, inability to walk distances, and constant scratching or “scraping” of the animal on an object.

All animals scratch themselves on a post, rock or piece of farm machinery, but with scrapie, the rubbing is constant, and the animal usually will scratch until the skin is broken. Scrapie is not known to have any human health significance.

Mad cow
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, commonly known as “Mad Cow” disease, is another TSE disease.

The disease was identified in Great Britain in 1986. The scientific community is debating the origins of the abnormal neurological proteins (called “prions”) that cause the disease.

Extensive testing of suspect animals at slaughter facilities has not identified a case of BSE in the American food chain.

As a preventative measure, the practice of feeding cooked meat scraps to cattle and sheep has been illegal for years.