A case of classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), 'mad cow' has been confirmed on a farm in Ayrshire, Scotland, with movement restrictions in place on four farms. The case was identified as a result of routine surveillance and stringent control measures, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said.
Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture announced Wednesday that even though it poses no threat to human consumers, beef exports to China are to be halted effective Thursday after a case of the mad-cow disease has been confirmed in the State of Pará, Agencia Brasil reported.
Several Asian countries have suspended the import of Canadian beef, following a case of mad cow disease. China, South Korea, and the Philippines have temporarily halted imports of Canadian beef where an “atypical” case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, was reported.
The quick reply from the World Animal Health Organization, OIE, acknowledging that the two cases of 'mad cow' reported in Brazil were atypical and China's willingness to accept the diagnosis, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture should strongly mitigate the impact on beef exports to China and Hong Kong.
Brazil' Ministry of Agriculture confirmed over the weekend the existence of two atypical cases of Bovine Encephalopathy Spongiform, BES, commonly known as mad cow which triggered the immediate temporary suspension of beef exports to China from Sunday 5 September, according to an official release.
The suspicion of a possible mad cow case identified in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has further paralyzed activity in the country's abattoirs, and consequently the price of live cattle. A release from the Association of Brazilian abattoirs in the representation of the industry confirmed the situation.
The Scottish government has confirmed a case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) on a farm in Aberdeenshire. Movement restrictions have been put in place at the farm, while further investigations are carried out, the government said in a statement.
The first US case of mad cow disease in six years has been found in a dairy cow in central California, before it entered the human food chain and posed any threat to consumers, officials said.
The nightmare of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis – or Mad Cow Disease) is mercifully almost forgotten in the EU now. In total almost 200,000 cases of BSE were discovered in the EU. But there were only 67 cases last year and those were in very old animals probably infected many years ago.