ANOTHER case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed in the national herd by the Department of Agriculture.
The latest case, the 34th this year, was found in a 52 animal dairy herd in Co Donegal. The Donegal case brings the Irish total since 1989 to 149 animals. In previous cases, the entire herds have been destroyed. Arrangements are being made to slaughter and destroy all the animals in the Donegal herd.
Yesterday, the Department announced strict controls on meat and bone meal which can still be fed to pigs and poultry in an attempt to prevent any contamination of cattle feed. Bone meal containing the brains of diseased sheep in the 1980s is thought to be the most likely source of BSE in cattle.