BSE cow born after feed controls

Cavan: One of the six BSE cases identified this week by the Department of Agriculture and Food was in a Friesian cow in Co Cavan born in March, 1998 after enhanced feed controls were imposed.

It is the first case in an animal born in 1998 although two cases in animals born in 1999 were confirmed in late 2002.

A department spokesman said the BSE trend is positive and the increasing age profile of animals with the disease indicates the enhanced controls introduced in 1996 and early 1997 are proving effective. Last year’s BSE figure was 184 against 333 cases for the previous year.