Mad cow disease: Authorities spring into action as case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy found on UK farm
The affected animal did not enter the food chain, authorities say, as investigations into where the disease came from continue.
Mad cow disease has been found on a Scottish farm, with the government immediately cracking down on stock movements.
The case of classical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) - the disease’s formal name - has been confirmed on a farm in Ayrshire. The Scottish government says that precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place at impacted sites, which cover all animals which have been in contact with the infected cow.
The case was identified as a result of routine testing, and authorities say the animal did not enter the human food chain. Food Standards Scotland have confirmed there is no risk to human health as a result of the “isolated case”, but further investigations are underway to determine where the disease came from.
Scotland’s agriculture minister, Jim Fairlie, told PA: “Following confirmation of a case of classical BSE in Ayrshire, the Scottish government and other agencies took swift and robust action to protect the agriculture sector. This included establishing a precautionary movement ban on the farm.
“The fact we identified this isolated case so quickly is proof that our surveillance system for detecting this type of disease is working effectively,” he continued. “I want to thank the animal’s owner for their diligence. Their decisive action has allowed us to identify and isolate the case at speed which has minimised its impact on the wider industry.”
Scotland’s chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas added: “The fast detection of this case is proof that our surveillance system is doing its job. We are working closely with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and other partners to identify where the disease came from.
“I want to reassure both farmers and the public that the risk associated with this isolated case is minimal. But, if any farmers are concerned, I would urge them to seek veterinary advice,” she said.
The UK suffered a widespread mad cow disease outbreak in the 1980s and 90s. Millions of cattle were euthanised, and some 178 people died after eating infected beef. The last time the disease was detected in Scotland was in 2018 - in another animal which did not enter the food chain.
BSE is a prion disease that damages a cow’s nervous system over time, and is frequently fatal, the Scottish government says. If humans eat infected meat, it can cause what is known as variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. According to the NHS, this causes brain damage which rapidly worsens, with most people who contract the disease dying within a year - usually from other infections.