Volume 3: The Early Years, 1986-88
6. Notification of the ruminant feed ban to other countries
The ruminant feed ban is extended

6.29 On 10 December 1988 the extension of the ruminant feed ban for a further year, to 31 December 1989, was reported in the Veterinary Record. The Veterinary Record also reported that the prohibition would have to continue after the end of 1989 'unless processing methods which are sufficient to destroy the causal agent have been identified'. ¹

6.30 On 17 December 1988 an article by Mr Wilesmith and others, providing an account of epidemiological studies to date, was published in the Veterinary Record. ² The article stated that studies were still in progress to determine more precisely the exposure of affected and unaffected animals to MBM in commercial concentrates. However, findings were 'consistent with exposure of cattle to a scrapie-like agent, via cattle feedstuffs containing ruminant-derived protein'. The article concluded with reference to the suspension introduced in the UK of 'the inclusion of ruminant-derived animal protein in ruminant feedstuffs'.

6.31 An annex to a statement to the Inquiry provided by Mr Wilesmith includes the following:

Before publication of 1988 paper in the Veterinary Record, Mr Wilesmith had circulated a pre-print to colleagues interested in veterinary epidemiology and in TSE's including Dr Richard Kimberlin, Dr Jim Hope, Professor Stanley Pruisner, California and Professor Peter Ellis, University of Reading . . . Formal publication resulted in a very large number of requests for reprints of the paper. ³

6.32 In a statement to the Inquiry, Mr Meldrum said that 'even if Mr Wilesmith's article was not picked up in the Veterinary Record, it was reported on in other widely read journals, for example New Scientist (see article dated 7th January, 1989'). ⁴