Single case of BSE confirmed in cow in Dumfries and Galloway

The disease was confirmed in a cow on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway. Credit: PA

A single case of atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed in a cow on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway.

The Scottish Government said that atypical BSE is "not known to be a risk to public health and the animal did not enter the human food chain" and that Food Standards Scotland confirmed there is no risk to human health.

Restrictions have now been put in place on the impacted farm and investigations are now ongoing to identify the origins of the disease.

What is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)?

Found in cattle, it attacks the brain, destroying it, and leading to the death of the animal.

It is an incurable and invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease, that can cause abnormal behaviour, trouble walking, and weight loss.

BSE can be passed to humans who have eaten infected flesh. In humans it causes the fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Scottish Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: "Following confirmation of a case of atypical BSE in Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Government and other agencies took swift and robust action to protect the agriculture sector.

"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."

Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas said work is now ongoing to establish where the disease originated from.

She said: "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 this is an isolated case and of the aytypical strain of BSE which is not transmissible and not connected to contaminated feed. But, if any farmers are concerned, I would urge them to seek veterinary advice."

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