There were five new BSE cases confirmed by the Department of Agriculture this month. It is the lowest monthly total since the beginning of July last. It compares with eight cases in February and 11 in January.
The latest cases bring the 1997 total to 24 so far and the total number of cases discovered since 1989 in the Irish herd of seven million to 213.
The cases were found in herds in Cos Cork, Meath, Waterford and Loath and in four of the cases the disease was found in dairy herds and the victims were Friesian cows.
The month's first case was in a suckler herd of 16 and involved a seven year old Limousin cow. The second case was found in a Meath dairy herd of 90 animals and the victim was a six year old Friesian cow.
The third case was also in Cork in a Friesian cow born in 1992 and there were 83 animals in the herd. The Waterford case also involved a Friesian cow born in 1992 and she was found in a dairy herd of 130. The final case of the month was in Louth where, again, the infected animal was a seven year old Friesian in a herd of 114 cattle.
The fact that only five cases were found in March was welcomed by a Department of Agriculture spokesman. The Department also issued figures yesterday showing 987 animals have been seized on the Border since the BSE crisis began.