Increased surveillance results in higher BSE figures

The Department of Agriculture said today that despite the high level of BSE cases compared to last year the underlying trend remains favourable.

Nine new cases were reported last week, bringing the total of detected cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy up to 125 for this year, well ahead of figures for this time last year.

It now seems likely that last year’s record of 149 cases will be exceeded.

The Department said increased surveillance on fallen and casualty animals since July and mass screening of all animals over 30 months going for slaughter were bringing forward the additional cases.

On a county basis, there were two cases in Kerry, and one each in Limerick, Clare, Galway, Monaghan, Mayo and Longford.

On a positive note, all the animals were six years of age or more, with four seven-year-olds.

Five have been identified by means of traditional passive surveillance. Another four cases had come from animals tested since the programme started in July.

Mandatory testing of all animals over 30 months has uncovered new cases of the disease in France, Germany and Italy. Mandatory testing was introduced by the EU to protect public health and build consumer confidence in beef following the collapse of the markets last November.

The Irish beef sector has not recovered from the BSE scare on the Continent and has been shut out of third-country markets like Egypt, which had been taking one-third of Irish beef exports up to December 2000.