Spread of BSE to sheep, goats feared

By Vaiju Naravane

PARIS, FEB. 16. As France's cattle farmers continued with violent protests calling for more aid to offset heavy losses as a result of crashing beef prices, the country's food safety commission called for a ban on the sale of sheep and goat intestines.

The commission members fear further spreading of the dreaded mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopath (BSE) which has severely hit the beef industry in Europe. Veterinary specialists who met the French Prime Minister, Mr. Lionel Jospin, however, said their recommendation was a ``preventive measure''.

The equivalent of BSE has been known in sheep and goats for several hundred years and is called ``scrapie''. In its acute form, the animal shivers and itches so uncontrollably that it scrapes off its fur in desperation.

However, meat from these animals is considered safe to eat and faced with the BSE scare in cattle, many consumers have turned to lamb and goat as substitutes.

French farmers staged sometimes violent demonstrations in several large and small towns on Thursday in a bid to pressure the Government to compensate them for losses resulting from consumer fears over BSE.

The Agriculture Minister, Mr. Jean Glavany, said he would push the European Union for money to pay farmers facing economic ruin. ``Naturally, specific aid to farmers will be a key element of the French position during E.U. Farm Ministers' talks on February 26 and 27,'' he said.

The French Government cannot give compensation or hand-outs to the farmers as this would go against the E.U.'s common agriculture policy.

However, one of the measures he announced was the cold storage of 10,000 animals per week.

The Minister also said he would heighten health and customs controls to prevent a further deterioration of the cattle market.

Unhappy cattle farmers described the measures as ``dramatically insufficient'' and said their protests would continue.

The spotlight will be back on BSE as the French agriculture show opens this week end in Paris.

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Section  : International
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