Mad cow disease case found on UK farm after tests

A CASE of BSE has been confirmed on a farm following routine testing.

A halt on cattle movements has been imposed at the site in Ayrshire, where the case of classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy – known as mad cow disease – was identified.

The infected animal’s offspring have been quarantined and will be culled as a precaution.

Officials say the animals did not enter the human food chain and the owners were praised for their quick response.

Three other farms with connections to the case also imposed restrictions. Chief veterinary officer SheilaVoas said the risk to the public was “minimal”.

Cattle over four years of age that die on a farm are routinely tested for BSE.

Millions were culled in the 1990s during an epidemic. Strict controls were introduced after it was linked to a fatal human brain condition called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

The last case of an atypical BSE was in Cornwall in March last year.

Ian McWatt, Food Standards Scotland deputy chief executive, said: “There are strict controls in place to protect consumers from the risk of BSE.

“Consumers can be reassured that these important protection measures remain in place and that Food Standards Scotland veterinarians and meat hygiene inspectors working in all abattoirs will continue to ensure the safety of consumers remains a priority.”