The Scottish government this Friday confirmed classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, at a farm in the south-west of the country, the first British case of the disease in more than two years. .
The government has imposed precautionary restrictions on affected premises and animals linked to the case in Ayrshire, according to a statement.
Further investigations are underway to identify the source of the illness, and a Scottish government statement said there was no risk to human health.
“I would like to reassure farmers and the public that the risk associated with this isolated case is very low, but I would urge any farmer concerned to seek veterinary advice,” said Sheila Voss, State Veterinary Officer.
BSE was discovered in Great Britain in the late 1980s and until the early 2000s devastated cattle herds, causing brain loss in humans.
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