Document e7ZrpgZMNVQwq5bakbKk2ZVmq

Monsanto *rnoM(namk LocAttoN) RiA, Baxter, Louvain -La- Neuve "* ,u,,tcr 9th . April 1974 ' , REPORT OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION MCTCHtNCC RAB/CDR TO. : . ' REPORT OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH ' Mr. D.R.Allen Vetlnary Investigation Office M.A.F.F. Cardiff Tel. : Cardiff 757971 SUBJECT : CATTLE DEATHS AT BROFISKIN I contacted Mr. Allen after been given his name by MAFF, Aberystwyth . Mr,Allen had carried out postmortems on the three cattle which had recently died at Broflskin farm. I offered Monsanto help in anlysis for toxic substances following the exchange of correspondence with Douglas Gowan where we said we would do this. Mr.Allen was very glad of our offer and was prepared to discuss the affair quite frankly. The following points emerged : 1. Allen was aware of the general background and principle actors in the Broflskin and Maendy quarry situation. Ho implied that various parties were interested in making the most of the affair in financial terms but that the Ministry of Agriculture was unbiased and wished to establish the facts. 2. Some 10 animals have now died over the past 2 years at Broflskin but the causes of death have not been established. 3. Post mortems signs when animals die from metabolic disturbances such as hyper calceamia arc very difficult to interpret. He needed blood samples from living animals to investigate this aspect. HONS 028917 4. Identification of toxic substances which might be responsible was also very difficult when they had no idea what they were looking for. 5. 'Although PCDs had been mentioned Allen thought it very unlikely that they could be responsible since the amounts which had been found were very small. He was aware of toxicity studies on PCBs and the levels needed to produce toxic symptoms. 6. The last cow to die had been examined by Prof.Clarke (Gowan's scienti fic advisor), It was carrying twin calves and was very dehydrated but other wise they could see no certain cause of death. 7. Alien had sent samples from this 3rd cow , of brain, muscle, fat, kidney and liver to Weybridge for examination for toxic metals (lead and arsenic). He had also sent samples to Dr. Bailey of Ministry of Agriculture, Tolworth for PCB analyses. 8. He agreed to give us similar samples and 1 suggested that we would arrange to collect these from our Newport factory. He will contact D.B.Shcarn regarding collection of the samples, 9. I said that wc would discuss with birr.' any useful results which we were able to obtain and that we felt that it was in everyone's Interest to resolve this affair as speedily as possible. HONS *89U