The National Western Stock Show and the Denver District Attorney’s Office are investigating “claims of tampering” with junior market lambs shown and sold at the 2006 show.
Stock officials contacted authorities last week after receiving a tip from someone in Texas, said Kati Anderson, a National Western spokeswoman.
Investigators are running tests on samples from about 10 lamb carcasses, Anderson said, and results will likely take about a week or two to determine.
“We could be looking at more, we are not sure,” Anderson said. “We are still in the investigative stage. We are trying to establish the facts before we go any further.”
Even if stock show officials had not received the tip from Texas, they still would have submitted samples as part of routine testing, Anderson said.
Anderson delcined to elaborate on the exact nature of the alleged tampering.
Lynn Kimbrough, a spokeswoman with the Denver District Attorney’s Office, said a deputy DA with expertise in animal investigations is working on the case.
“We’ll wait for all of the information to come in and once all the testing is complete…we’ll have a chance to review and make the determination of what we need to do to go forward,” Kimbrough said.
In 1995, testing by the National Wstern uncovered the use of clenbuterol – a muscle-growing drug – in a junior livestock championship steer named Badger.
The family who owned Badger never admited using the drug, a federal felony, but they did apologize and relinquished all prizes including nearly $50,000 in auction money.
Clenbuterol residues can affect lung and heart functions of people who have eaten the liver or meat of animals given the drug, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. No human illness associated with clenbuterol use in food animals has been found in the United States, but several outbreaks of reversible, short-term illnesses in Europe have been traced to clenbuterol residues in European beef liver.
The public should not be alarmed by the current investigation because no meat harvested from any of the animals in question has been released, Anderson said.
“The meat is not distributed publicly,” Anderson said. “The product in question is being retained.”
National Western meats that have passed sample testing are typically shipped to private buyers. Some food products do wind up in restaurants or are resold.
Stock show officials are concerned about the image of it competitions during the annual show in Denver.
“The National Western stands behind its commitment and obligation to uphold the highest standards of honesty, integrity and fair showmanship,” Anderson said.
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-820-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
