ITALIAN BOVINES POSITIVE TO

UNCLAS ROME 000590

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USDA FOR FAS/CMP/DLP/SINDELARE
CMP/G&F/RIEMENSCHNEIDER; CMP/COT/LBLUM
ITP/EAMED/MACKE/RICHEY
OFSTS/LHARBERT/APHIS/ATORRES
STATE PASS USTR
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU -
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE
MILAN FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICER
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 00590 061634Z
FLORENCE FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICER
NAPLES FOR PRINCIPAL OFFICER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU IT EUN
SUBJECT: ITALIAN BOVINES POSITIVE TO
BOLDENONE HORMONE



1. MORE THAN 20,000 BOVINES, ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY CALVES, WERE FOUND POSITIVE TO
BOLDENONE STEROID HORMONES AND SEIZED IN 50
CATTLE FARMS BY THE ANTI-ADULTERATION UNITS
OF ITALY'S CARABINIERI.


2. THE INVESTIGATION WAS STARTED IN DECEMBER
2001 WITHIN THE NATIONAL RESIDUE CONTROL
PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY THE ITALIAN VETERINARIAN
SERVICE OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH. THE
OPERATION, WITH RAIDS AT FARMS,
FEED-PRODUCTION COMPANIES AND VETERINARY
PRACTICES IN SEVERAL NORTHERN ITALIAN
REGIONS, LOMBARDIA, PIEMONTE, VENETO, FRIULI,
EMILIA-ROMAGNA, STILL CONTINUES AND COULD
INVOLVE MORE ANIMAL AND PEOPLE.
ACCORDING TO THE ITALIAN VETERINARIAN
SERVICE, BOLDENONE WAS IMPORTED FROM THE U.S.
AND ILLEGALLY USED TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF
MUSCLES. ONCE TEST IS CONFIRMED POSITIVE,
ANIMALS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONFIRMATION
TESTS HAVE BEEN DONE FOR MANY ANIMALS AND
RESULTS WERE POSITIVE. HOWEVER, ANIMALS HAVE
UNCLASSIFIED

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NOT YET BEEN DESTROYED BECAUSE THEORETICALLY
BOLDENONE COULD ALSO BE NATURALLY PRESENT IN
FEED. ITALIAN VETERINARIAN SERVICES ARE
DOING A SURVEY ON THIS ISSUE. THEY WOULD
APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION FROM THE U.S.


3. ALTHOUGH ILLEGAL HORMONE USE IS AN
ADMINISTRATIVE CRIME, THE CHARGE OF
ADULTERATING FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IS
CONSIDERED A CRIMINAL ACTION AND INVOLVED
PEOPLE RISK PRISON.


4. NO CONNECTION EXISTS WITH AN HORMONE
TRAFFIC BETWEEN SPAIN AND ITALY REPORTED IN
NOVEMBER 2001. SEMBLER

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME00590 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED