DONNA KELLEY: A Texas cattle farmer at the center of a mad cow scare should know by next week whether his herd is safe. Government officials are conducting tests on the cattle and feed, and they're trying to determine if the animals may have eaten a type of feed that's banned because of links to mad cow disease in Europe. We get details from reporter Janet St. James of CNN affiliate WFAA.</s>K.R. BROWN: That's cotton burrs; that's cotton seed meal.</s>JANET ST. JAMES, WFAA REPORTER (voice-over): In 30 years as a cattleman, K.R. Brown never dreamed his herd would be the center of a mad cow controversy.</s>BROWN: I'll just be glad when it's all done with -- behind us.</s>ST. JAMES: Twelve hundred head on his feed lot were destined for eventual slaughter when Brown was told they might have eaten tainted feed. This Purina Mills plant in Gonzales sold the feed banned under measures to prevent mad cow disease. The feed contained meat and bone meal made from other cattle.</s>BARRY FISHER, PURINA MILLS PRODUCTION MANAGER: So as a company we made the decision as of last night to have no remnant meat and bone meal in any plants.</s>ST. JAMES (on camera): It's just too risky?</s>FISHER: Yes; it -- like I said -- human error. And we all make mistakes, so we don't want to put ourselves at that risk.</s>ST. JAMES: Mad cow disease is spread through feed containing the remains of infected cattle. But it's unlikely the Purina Mills feed was dangerous because U.S. cattle have never had the disease. K.R. Brown is convinced his heard is safe.</s>BROWN: But if there was bone meal in the supplement, then we want them destroyed. We don't want to even take the remote possibility that there could be a problem.</s>ST. JAMES (voice-over): He'll know their fate when tests on the feed are finished Tuesday. Janet St. James for CNN in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
Cattle Heard Inspected for Possible Mad Cow Disease Infection