November 8, 2005

Older cattle can now enter UK's food chain

The UK has lifted on Nov 7 a ban on older cattle entering the food chain, by replacing the Over Thirty Month (OTM) rule with a "robust testing regime" such that cattle born before August 1996 would continue to be excluded, said UK's farm ministry.

The OTM, in place to keep BSE in check since its outbreak in 1995 in the UK, is expected to provide a boost for Britain's beef industry.

UK's farming minister Lord Bach said in a statement, "The replacement of the OTM rule marks a significant step in the year-on-year decline of the BSE epidemic to record low levels."

However, some producers have expressed concerns that an oversupply of older cattle may enter the market now the ban has been lifted, thus further depressing the already weak domestic beef prices.