The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has today (Tuesday, November 7) confirmed that beef exports to China have been suspended after tests confirmed a case of atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).
In a statement, DAFM said “tests carried out at the department’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed a case of atypical BSE on November 3”.
According to DAFM, “the animal in question was a 10-and-a-half-year-old cow and was identified during the department’s on-going systematic surveillance of fallen animals at knackeries”.
“The animal did not enter the food or feed chain and there are no public health risks associated with this occurrence,” the DAFM stated.
The most recent case of ‘atypical BSE’ in Ireland was identified in 2020.
Ireland was granted the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) negligible risk status for BSE in 2021, which is the lowest risk rating available. Atypical BSE is not a condition which is notifiable to the WOAH.
The identification of this atypical BSE case does not affect Ireland’s negligible risk status for BSE.
In confirming the case, the DAFM statement said: “The discovery of this case exemplifies the strength of Ireland’s controls and surveillance system; demonstrable proof that our food and feed safety controls are effective.”
Irish beef export volumes to China to date this year had been relatively low and it is expected the news will not have any significant impact on the overall Irish beef trade.
“The identification of this atypical BSE case does not impact on trade generally,” DAFM outlined.
Until now, Ireland had access to export frozen boneless beef from animals under 30 months-of-age to China.
Beef shipments from Ireland to China had only resumed again earlier this year, in January, after they had previously been suspended in May 2020 following the confirmation by DAFM of “an isolated case of atypical BSE”.
The reopening of the market in January had been seen as a major opportunity for Ireland to rebuild its beef trade with China which had been worth almost €40 million in 2019.
Atypical BSE is a rare spontaneous event that may occur in any bovine population. It is not related to feed contamination.
“Exports of beef to China are now temporarily suspended. The timeframe for resumption is a matter for the Chinese authorities,” the statement confirmed.