The Scottish government reported on May 10 that a case of classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) had been confirmed on a farm in Ayrshire.
The case was identified through routine surveillance and stringent control measures. The animal did not enter the human food chain, and Food Standards Scotland has confirmed there is no risk to human health from the isolated incident. Precautionary movement restrictions have been implemented at the affected premises, covering animals in contact with the case. Further investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the disease, which is standard procedure for a confirmed case of classical BSE.
“The fact we identified this isolated case so quickly is proof that our surveillance system for detecting this type of disease is working effectively,” Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said. “I want to thank the animal’s owner for their diligence. Their decisive action has allowed us to identify and isolate the case at speed, which has minimized its impact on the wider industry.”
