A case of atypical BSE – more widely known as mad cow disease – has been found on a British farm.
Following the detection of a singular Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) incident in Dumfries and Galloway in southern Scotland, authorities have swung into action, imposing precautionary movement restrictions on the farm.
Food Standards Scotland has assured that there is no risk to public health from this “isolated case.”
The government has enforced movement restrictions on premises linked to the stricken cow, targeting animals in contact with it.
An ongoing investigation aims to pinpoint the disease’s source, which the Scottish Government emphasises is part of “standard procedure”. Rigorous containment measures have also been put in place.
Officials from the Scottish Government said the case had been discovered through routine but thorough BSE surveillance efforts, The nation’s chief vet, Sheila Voas, assured the public that this atypical BSE form doesn’t spread and not connected to contaminated feed.
Atypical BSE pops up “spontaneously” and bears no ties to the human form of the ailment, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
The affected livestock’s owners are now coordinating with the authorities to plot the way forward, reports the Mirror.
Meanwhile, the Animal Plant and Health Agency is investigating the origins of the outbreak. It is isolating the herd and planning to cull the infected cow’s immediate family, including its offspring.
Scottish agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said: “Following confirmation of a case of atypical BSE in Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Government and other agencies took swift and robust action to protect the agriculture sector. The fact we identified this isolated case so quickly is proof that our surveillance system for detecting this type of disease is working effectively.”
“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.”
Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas said: “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 this is an isolated case and of the atypical strain of BSE which is not transmissible and not connected to contaminated feed. If any farmers are concerned, I would urge them to seek veterinary advice.”
Ian McWatt, deputy chief executive of Food Standards Scotland, said: “There are strict controls in place to protect consumers from the risk of BSE. Consumers can be reassured that important protection measures remain in place and Food Standards Scotland official veterinarians and meat hygiene inspectors working in abattoirs will continue to ensure that safety of consumers remains a priority.”
“We will continue to work closely with Scottish Government, other agencies and industry at this time.”
The UK witnessed the culling of millions of cattle during the BSE crisis in the 1990s. Following the epidemic, stringent measures were put in place to safeguard consumers after establishing a link between BSE and the deadly human brain condition vCJD.
In recent developments, a case of classical BSE was identified on an Ayrshire farm in May, marking it as the latest occurrence in Scotland. The previous incident in the UK was recorded in Somerset in September 2021. Additionally, the most recent instance of atypical BSE, which presents differently from classical BSE, was reported in Cornwall in March 2023, following an earlier case in 2015.