Yes, that's correct. Cattle are naturally herbivores, and their digestive systems are adapted to process plant material. The emergence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as "mad cow disease," has been linked to the feeding practices adopted in some livestock industries, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.
In an effort to hasten cattle growth and reduce feed costs, some producers began supplementing cattle feed with animal by-products, including meat and bone meal made from other animals, including ruminants. This carnivorous diet was not natural for cattle and led to the transmission of prions, which are misfolded proteins that can induce other proteins in the brain to also misfold. The accumulation of these misfolded proteins leads to severe neurological damage.
BSE was a significant concern for public health because it is thought to be linked to a variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans, which can be fatal. As a result of the outbreaks, many countries implemented strict regulations on animal feed and monitored cattle populations to prevent the spread of BSE and protect both animal and human health.
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