THE Garda investigation into the possibility of an "imported" case of BSE on a Munster farm concerns three animals, not a single case of the disease, it was learned yesterday.
Two further animals from the 1200 herd Munster farm have been slaughtered and their brains sent for analysis to the State laboratories at Abbotstown, Co Dublin.
If the brain material proves BSE positive, it will be the first time there has been a multiple case of BSE on an Irish farm in the seven years since the disease was first identified here.
It was learned yesterday that two other animals with BSE symptoms were notified to the Department as negotiations became bogged down on the level of compensation which should be paid for the herd.
Department officials called in the Garda to help when they became concerned that the tag in the ear of an animal which proved positive did not appear to correspond with the age of the cow.
This animal was stated by the owner to be nine years old, but the ear tag would have been issued to an animal of 14-15 years.
Confirming that the Garda investigation was taking place, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, said yesterday that if BSE animals were being deliberately introduced to farms it would be "a total outrage and treason against the beef industry."
The IFA called yesterday on the Minister to investigate reports of imported cases of BSE from the North, and wants him to use the full resources of the State to deal with the matter.