The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that it has identified a case of ‘Atypical BSE’ in a 14-year-old cow.
The case was identified through through the department’s surveillance of ‘fallen’ animals (died on farm) at knackeries.
The animal tested positive on a screening test carried out at a department approved, accredited private laboratory and was then subject to follow up confirmatory tests at the Department’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, a spokesperson for the authority told AgriLand, adding:
There are no associated public health risks with this event – a comprehensive set of public health controls are in place and the animal in this case was excluded from the food chain and its carcass will be incinerated.
“The disclosure of this case of Atypical BSE does not have any impact of Ireland’s current OIE BSE ‘controlled risk’ status or trade status.”
A similar case was discovered in 2017 in Co. Galway. There are two types of BSE recognised:
Classical BSE
Classical BSE, the basis of the extensive incidence of BSE which commenced some in the 1980s, which was associated with the feeding of meat-and-bone meal, where scientific evidence indicates that BSE is acquired in the first year of life.
Atypical BSE
Atypical BSE, which has is the case that has been identified today, has been identified more recently and which is thought to occur spontaneously.
Atypical BSE occurs sporadically in older animals with a low incidence rate.
It was first recognised in the early 2000s in Europe following the large scale testing of livestock for BSE that was put in place at that time.