A Bentley area rancher is concerned that a missing steer could cause serious health problems for anyone buying it on the black market then eating the meat.
Albert Goldade, who farms about four km south of Bentley, said Wednesday a 365 kg (800 pounds) black steer that went missing around June 29, may not be safe for human consumption because it was vaccinated with an animal health drug on June 12.
This drug requires a 60-day waiting period before being the steer is slaughtered, he said,
Goldade said anyone buying the beef could become violently ill from eating the uninspected meat.
“I just want to let people know that it could be very dangerous to eat any meat from this animal,” Goldade said.
He expects that anyone in good health eating the meat could develop violent diarrhea.
It could also prove fatal to someone in frail health.
The missing animal had a green ear tag in one ear and a yellow Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) tag in the other.
The steer also had short, butt horns and a shiny, black hair coat, Goldade said.
He said the animal was one of 10 from a batch of mixed coloured steers weighing about 350 kg that was in his pasture in the northwest corner of his property. He had bought them along with others from two auction marts only a few weeks prior.
The steers were seen by members of the neighbouring Bentley Hutterite Colony along side the north fence of the colony.
Goldade said nine animals returned to his pasture through the night of June 29 and were back in his pasture the morning of June 30.
Goldade said he also contacted neighbours in about a three-km radius round him and no one had seen the animal.
Goldade contacted Sylvan Lake RCMP and asks that anyone who may have bought meat in the area on the black market should contact police at 403-887-3334 or himself at 403-748-4216 or 403-350-3458.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com