BSE case on cattle farm in Scotland poses little risk to Northern Ireland: chief vet
discovery of a case of mad cow disease in Scotland does not affect Northern Ireland’s negligible risk status, Northern Ireland’s Chief Veterinary Officer has said.
Dr Robert Huey was speaking after the Scottish Government confirmed a case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) on a farm in Aberdeenshire.
Precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place at the farm, while further investigations to identify the origin of the disease occur.
This is standard procedure for a confirmed case of classical BSE, which does not represent a threat to human health.
Dr Robert Huey said: “While this finding is disappointing, it shows that the robust and rigorous controls on BSE surveillance are effective in identifying issues as early as possible.
“The finding in Scotland does not impact on Northern Ireland’s negligible risk status.
“We have robust control and surveillance measures in place. We have stringent controls in meat plants and meal companies to ensure meat and bone meal cannot get into feed. These measures ensure that beef from Northern Ireland is a quality product and safe to eat.”
Dr Huey added: “Contaminated feed is a known cause of BSE. Farmers should ensure they comply with TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies) legislation and source feed responsibly. They should also maintain good records of feed supplies.
“I am in regular contact with my counterpart in Scotland and will continue to monitor the situation as the ongoing investigation into the cause of this case continues.”
The case was identified as part of routine testing and did not enter the human food chain, according to the Scottish Government.
Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas said: “While it is too early to tell where the disease came from in this case, its detection is proof that our surveillance system is doing its job.
“We are working closely with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to answer this question, and, in the meantime, I would urge any farmer who has concerns to immediately seek veterinary advice.”
Fergus Ewing, Scotland’s Rural Economy Secretary, added: “Following confirmation of a case of classical BSE in Aberdeenshire, I have activated the Scottish Government’s response plan to protect our valuable farming industry, including establishing a precautionary movement ban being placed on the farm.
“While it is important to stress that this is standard procedure until we have a clear understanding of the disease’s origin, this is further proof that our surveillance system for detectTHE ing this type of disease is working.” BSE can be passed on to humans in the food chain, causing a fatal condition called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Strict controls were introduced to protect consumers after the link was established in 1996. The disease has been reduced to a handful of cases each year in the UK, with the last recorded case in Wales in 2015.
Scotland has been BSE-free since 2009.
Ian McWatt, director of operations at 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.”