Netherlands reports 2nd BSE case this year

Netherlands reports 2nd BSE case this year

2010-10-14 21:39:24 GMT+7 (ICT)

THE HAGUE (BNO NEWS) -- A 13-year-old cow in the Netherlands on Thursday was found to be infected with BSE, which is commonly known as 'mad-cow disease', according to the country's Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

Thursday's case is the second case of BSE in the Netherlands since May 2008. The other case was reported on September 3 when a cow was diagnosed with BSE at a farm in Tilburg, near the border with Belgium.

The ministry on Thursday said the cow had died on a farm in country, but did not reveal where the farm was located. "We can expect to see several more BSE-cases during the next few years," the ministry said in a statement.

This is because a number of cows are still alive from before a European Union feed ban went into effect on January 1, 2001. That ban prohibits certain animal products from being fed to cows, which can lead to BSE being spread among cows.

The Netherlands tested around 405,000 cattle in 2009, while around 7.5 million cattle were tested throughout the European Union. A total of 67 BSE cases were found, all of which were outside of the Netherlands.

The ministry said there is no need to take action because cows cannot infect each other with BSE. "But, as usual, the animals who were born on the same farm around the same time as the infected animal or ate the same food will be examined, as well as their offspring."

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