Cattlemen Mad About Mad Cattle Comment

Texas cattlemen have a serious beef with Oprah Winfrey.

During an “Oprah Winfrey Show” broadcast last year, an expert said that feeding ground-up animal parts to cattle could spread mad cow disease to humans in the United States. To applause from the studio audience, Ms.

Winfrey exclaimed: “It has just stopped me from eating another burger!”

Cattle prices began to fall the day of the show and fell for two weeks before rising again.

Amarillo cattle feeder Paul Engler and a dozen cattlemen are now suing under a 1995 Texas law that protects agricultural products from slander.

“I couldn’t help but be infuriated,” said Engler, who flipped on the program while visiting Chicago, Ms. Winfrey’s home base. “I sat there and couldn’t hardly believe what I was seeing.”

Ms. Winfrey’s show came at a time when drought, high feed prices and oversupply were crippling cattlemen. While her recommendations have made best sellers out of books, Engler said that same power cuts both ways.