June 1, 2005

British officials to allay mad cow fears after recent outbreak on Welsh farm

British government officials confirmed that three calves recently tested positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease on a Welsh farm. The cows are aged between 36 and 43 months.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and some farm leaders worked to calm BSE fears by stating that there were only 309 cases last year compared to more than 36,000 in 1992. According to a DEFRA spokesman, there are 78 cases so far this year and the numbers are expected to reduce further. So far, this seems to be an isolated case because all three infected cows were linked to one farm.

Experts are trying to determine if the cows were infected through feed imported from abroad.

DEFRA states that in order to improve detection, animals that apparently died for reasons other than BSE are also examined for the disease. While the affected farm will not be quarantined, the cows and farm owners will be kept under tight observation.