Montana ranchers say state's mad cow link is not alarming

HELENA - Cattle industry spokesmen said Wednesday they're not worried that a link to the case of mad cow disease in Canada had been discovered in Montana.

''There is no need for immediate alarm or concern, because the cow herds that have been tested in Canada have all come back negative,'' said Steve Pilcher, executive secretary for the Montana Stockgrowers' Association.

''There's no indication that, because the cow was born in the same herd of those bulls that reached Montana, that there is any tie between them.''

On Wednesday, officials revealed that five bulls sold to a Montana rancher had...