BEIJING, Jan. 24 -- While some U.S. cattle industry groups called for halting cattle and beef trade with Canada after a new case of mad cow disease was confirmed there, the U.S. secretary of agriculture said suspension of trade is unlikely. 

    Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed Monday that a cow in Alberta province has tested positive for mad cow disease.

    U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said in a statement: "I assured him (his Canadian counterpart, Andy Mitchell) that based on the information he supplied, I anticipate no change in the status of beef or live cattle imports to the U.S. from Canada under our established agreement."

    "I am confident in the safety of beef and in the safeguards we and our approved trading partners have in place to protect our food supply," Johanns said.

    But he said agency officials would monitor the situation and work with Canadian investigators.

    Still, some industry groups, such as the National Farmers Union, urged the suspension of beef and cattle trade until how the cow became infected is better understood. One concern is that the cow was born after Canada, in 1997, banned use of cattle protein in cattle feed.

    Mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, is believed to spread through feed with certain tissues from infected animals.

    Some also question the extent of mad cow disease in Canada.

    "I think this confirms some of the concerns we had all along, that they have a more severe problem in Canada than the U.S.," said Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association.

    The United States has reported two cases of mad cow disease since December 2003, including one involving a cow from Canada. Enditem

    (Agencies)