The new case was discovered on November 3rd after tests were carried out by Department of Agriculture vets on a dead 10-year-old cow that had been delivered for destruction.
"The animal did not enter the food or feed chain and there are no public health risks associated with this occurrence," the Department of Agriculture told"Atypical BSE is a rare spontaneous event that may occur in any bovine population. It is not related to feed contamination," it added. after the last BSE case was detected back in 2020.Ireland was granted 'negligible risk' status for BSE by the World Organisation for Animal Health in 2021, which is the lowest risk rating available."The identification of this Atypical BSE case does not affect Ireland’s negligible risk status for BSE," the Department of Agriculture said."However, the protocol with China requires exports to be suspended pending submission and assessment of the epidemiological report.
"Therefore exports of beef to China are now temporarily suspended. The timeframe for resumption is a matter for the Chinese authorities," it added.IFA Livestock Chair Brendan Golden said the latest suspension is disappointing."The move by China is a technical issue resulting from the discovery of a case of Atypical BSE in a 10-year-old cow in this country.
Main image: Beef cattle eat forage crops inside the cowshed of a livestock breeding centre on 5-3-2019. Image: Imago / Alamy Stock PhotoSmartphones 'not an issue for schools, but an issue for parents' - FoleySmartphones 'not an issue for schools, but an issue for parents' - Foley