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This blog post was published under the 2015-2024 Conservative Administration

https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2018/10/18/confirmed-case-of-bse-in-scotland/

Confirmed case of BSE in Scotland

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Confirmed case of BSE in Scotland

Photo of a sign that says Department for Enviroment & Rural Affairs.

Today, 18 October, the Scottish Government has confirmed a case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) on a farm in Aberdeen.

The case was detected during routine surveillance of fallen stock cattle. The animal did not enter the food chain and there is no threat to food safety or human health.

There have been infrequent cases of BSE in recent years that have all been controlled and contained. The last one was in 2015.

Statements from Scotland’s Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing, Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas and Ian McWatt, Director of Operations in Food Standards Scotland can all be read in the Scottish Government press notice.

The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer and a spokesperson from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have reiterated that there are no risks to human health and that strict protection measures remain in place.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, said:

“While it is too early to tell how this animal became infected, this detection shows that the surveillance system is doing its job. As it has been made clear, there is no risk to food safety or human health in any part of the UK.

“I would urge any farmer who has concerns to seek veterinary advice.”

An APHA spokesperson said:

“This case was detected during routine surveillance of fallen stock cattle aged over 48 months. The animal was not presented for slaughter and did not enter the food chain.

"We remain vigilant to the threat posed by BSE and the key controls that protect public and animal health will stay in force.”

 

 

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