A targeted cull of older cows in Monaghan, Cavan, Cork and Limerick to eradicate BSE may be considered again by the Department of Agriculture and Food.
Last year a report prepared for the Department of Agriculture by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland said the removal of animals born before 1998 would remove all future BSE cases .
However, with the recent discovery of BSE in cattle born after 1997, the report is being examined again in the light of cattle feed controls being breached.
There were three new cases of BSE last week, two nine-year-old cows and one 10-year-old. The cows came from Meath, Sligo and Louth, and brought the total for this year to 18.