A case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or “mad cow’s desease” has been detected on a farm in the Aberdeenshire Scottish population on October 18.
Authorities have initiated the usual preventive controls, including the cessation of animal movements in the affected area, while trying to find out what was the origin of the case.
This is the first case of BSE in Scotland for a decade, so the Scottish authorities have emphasized the fact that it is an isolated case, that the opportune measures have been taken and they have sent a message of tranquility towards to Scottish consumers.
Another concern of the Scottish authorities is how this case will affect its exports of beef. Earlier this year Britain had started its negotiations with China after the closure of its exports for the episodes that had of BSE.
Scotland is now under the status of Controlled Risk, in the same way that France and Ireland where recently cases of BSE have been detected (the French case was detected in the routine controls that the Great Britain performs on imported animals).
The health authorities of the United Kingdom are optimistic about this because they are the last episodes of the disease and, as they say, it is normal that some sporadically cases may appear.
Photo: Thomas Quaritsch
