The number of recorded cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has continued to show a sharp decline on last year, with only three disclosed this week.
From a scientific point of view the age profile of the animals found with the disease is also on the increase, bearing out the predictions that BSE is running its course through older cows in the national herd.
The most recent cases were found in an eight-year-old beef cow in Kerry, and two 11-year-old animals, one in a dairy herd in Waterford and the other in a similar herd in Co Monaghan.
The most recent cases bring the total number of cases for 2003 to 80, compared to 129 for the same period last year, a drop of 49.
None of the cases found this week was identified by means of traditional passive surveillance, that is on farms or at factories when the animals might be presented for slaughter.
They were found under increased active surveillance. Under this programme, testing of a proportion of fallen stock and cattle destined for human consumption was initiated in July 2000. This was extended in January 2001 to test all cattle more than 30 months destined for human consumption and all casualty animals. Since July 2001 all fallen cattle, i.e. sick animals taken for slaughter, are also tested.
Over 1.53 million tests have been carried out to date under the active surveillance programme (more than 662,000 in 2001; more than 688,000 in 2002 and more than 182,000 so far in 2003).
A statement from the Department of Agriculture and Food said the underlying trend remained positive, and the increasing age profile of animals confirmed with the disease indicated that the enhanced animal-feed controls introduced in 1996 and early 1997 were proving effective.