It would be our hope we will have a rule in place in six to eight months' time.

At the end of the day, the risk occurs when that animal is slaughtered.

We'll want to know what feed that animal had been fed, and even more importantly what other animals were on the farm at that same time that might have consumed the same feed and where are they now?

It is a likely explanation as to how this animal would have become infected.

I would hesitate to speculate on how long that would take, because I just don't know how much follow-up and additional information might be generated when we take a look at it.

There would be no indication at all that we have the virus in commercial poultry and therefore no substantive basis to impose trade restrictions on poultry and poultry products from the United States.

The investigation today is focusing on tracing the other 73 animals that presumably came into the United States in the same shipment with this positive cow.

This is the primary, if not the only, means which BSE is spread from animal to animal.

The birth herd is the likely location where the animal became infected.