The Irish Department of Agriculture has found a single, new suspected case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in a five year old dairy cow, reports Dave Kurzawski, with FCStone, LLC.
The cow died on the farm and was routinely tested for BSE per standard protocol. The test has not yet been confirmed. The confirmatory test could take a week.
The United States, China and Japan had re-opened their borders to beef imports when Ireland’s BSE status was changed from controlled risk to negligible risk several years ago. Those markets could again be at risk.
While a single case of BSE might not have a large market impact, it could depress Irish beef prices if exports decline. That, it turn, could discourage dairy farmers from culling cows early. And that could increase Irish milk production through this summer and fall.
Source – The Dairy Site