Which of the following are considered specified risk materials (SRM) in cattle of all ages?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following are considered specified risk materials (SRM) in cattle of all ages?

The key idea is identifying which tissues are considered SRMs across all ages of cattle. SRMs are tissues that may harbor BSE prions, and regulations designate certain tissues as SRMs either for all ages or only for older animals. Tonsils and distal ileum are SRMs regardless of age because they are lymphoid tissues where prions can be present early in infection and remain a concern in cattle of any age. The other tissues listed—such as skull, brain, spinal cord, trigeminal ganglia, and dorsal root/ vertebral column—are SRMs too, but only for cattle above a certain age, so they do not apply to cattle of all ages. Therefore, tonsils and distal ileum are the SRMs that apply to cattle of all ages.

The key idea is identifying which tissues are considered SRMs across all ages of cattle. SRMs are tissues that may harbor BSE prions, and regulations designate certain tissues as SRMs either for all ages or only for older animals. Tonsils and distal ileum are SRMs regardless of age because they are lymphoid tissues where prions can be present early in infection and remain a concern in cattle of any age. The other tissues listed—such as skull, brain, spinal cord, trigeminal ganglia, and dorsal root/ vertebral column—are SRMs too, but only for cattle above a certain age, so they do not apply to cattle of all ages. Therefore, tonsils and distal ileum are the SRMs that apply to cattle of all ages.

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