A CASE of classical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) – otherwise known as “mad cow disease” – has been confirmed on a farm in Ayrshire.
Precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place at the impacted premises, including on all animals which were in contact with the diseased bovine.
The case was identified as a result of routine surveillance and stringent control measures, according to the Scottish Government.
Food Standards Scotland has confirmed that there is no risk to human health as it did not enter the human food chain.
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said the swift identification of the case proved that surveillance measures were working.
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“Following confirmation of a case of classical BSE in Ayrshire, the Scottish Government and other agencies took swift and robust action to protect the agriculture sector,” he said.
“This included establishing a precautionary movement ban on the farm.
“The fact we identified this isolated case so quickly is proof that our surveillance system for detecting this type of disease is working effectively.
“I want to thank the animal’s owner for their diligence. Their decisive action has allowed us to identify and isolate the case at speed which has minimised its impact on the wider industry."
Further investigations to identify the origin of the disease are ongoing as part of standard procedures following the detection of BSE.
The owners of the affected animals are working with authorities on next steps.
Scotland’s chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas added: “The fast detection of this case is proof that our surveillance system is doing its job.
“We are working closely with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and other partners to identify where the disease came from.
“I want to reassure both farmers and the public that the risk associated with this isolated case is minimal.
“But, if any farmers are concerned, I would urge them to seek veterinary advice."
The Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) is investigating the source of the outbreak.
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All animals over four years of age that die on farms are routinely tested for BSE under the Scottish Government’s surveillance system. Although the disease is not transmitted directly from animal to animal all of the diseased cow’s cohorts and offspring have been traced, isolated and may be destroyed in line with legal requirements.
Movement restrictions have also been put in place at three further farms – the farm of the animal’s origin and two more holdings which house animals that have had access to the same feed.
Ian McWatt, deputy chief executive of Food Standards Scotland, said: “There are strict controls in place to protect consumers from the risk of BSE, including controls on animal feed, and removal of the parts of cattle most likely to carry BSE infectivity.
“Consumers can be reassured that these important protection measures remain in place and that Food Standards Scotland Official Veterinarians and Meat Hygiene Inspectors working in all abattoirs in Scotland will continue to ensure that in respect of BSE controls, the safety of consumers remains a priority.
“We will continue to work closely with Scottish Government, other agencies and industry at this time.”
An outbreak of BSE in the UK during the early 1990s resulted in the slaughter of more than four million cattle and the deaths of 178 people who contracted the human equivalent of the disease after eating BSE-infected meat.
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