Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been found in a cow in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

The infected cow was detected through Canada's national BSE surveillance programme and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has launched an investigation to determine the birth farm of the animal.

Despite the discovery, this case is not expected to pose any risk to human or animal health due to Canada's strict BSE safeguards that prevent any part of the animal's carcass from entering the human food and animal feed chain.

The detection will not affect Canada's status as a BSE controlled risk country.