I regret having caused alarm. It was caullus of me to not have anticipated harm to our readers. I thought that story had already gone around and it wasn't news anymore.Sorry everybody! I should've been more careful. Thanks David. You explained it as I should have: "....thought not possible for BSE to be transfered by ordinary contact with cows but there is now a considered possibility ( not proven) of transfer through eating infected beef which might have entered the food chain before regulations were put in place to stop this.I believe that there are no reported cases in the USA or Canada. Lecture ended David Langridge."