The U.S. Agriculture Department cannot say exactly when it will have the results of final-round testing for mad cow disease in an animal that was tagged for closer study, a spokeswoman said on Monday.
Late Friday, the USDA announced a possible positive mad cow test result for an animal sent to slaughter. A second round of more precise testing was ordered and officials said on Friday that the new test results would be available in four to seven days.
A USDA spokeswoman said on Monday that an exact timetable could not be given. She said there were no other developments on the issue over the weekend.
Friday’s possible positive test result was the first “inconclusive” result for the fatal, brain-wasting disease since USDA began using the rapid tests on June 1 as part of a program to test more U.S. cattle. The rapid tests carry a greater risk of false positives.
The department is re-testing the animal’s brain samples using the more sophisticated immunohistochemistry test at its animal health laboratory in Ames, Iowa.
USDA officials say the suspect animal could turn out to be healthy. They refused to say if the slaughtered animal is a bull, steer, heifer or cow, to give its age or to identify what state it is in.