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Bovine Diseases.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 November 2004

Thursday, 18 November 2004

Questions (68)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

65 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason new cases of BSE are still being discovered despite the present restrictions on animal feed; the number of such cases since the ban on meat and bone meal was imposed; if her Department’s investigations into such cases have produced any results; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29317/04]

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Written answers

I assume that the Deputy's question refers to cases of BSE in animals born after enhanced control measures in relation to meat and bone meal, specified risk materials and the processing of mammalian waste were introduced in 1996 and 1997. Epidemiological investigations are carried out into the feeding regimes of all herds in which BSE is identified. Particular attention is paid to herds in which cases born after the feed controls were re-enforced are confirmed.

Within the context of the overall picture, the diagnosis of BSE in a small number of animals born after 1997 is to be expected. To date, six animals born after 1997, four in 1998 and two in 1999, have been diagnosed with BSE. In addition, ten cases were confirmed in 1997, new-born animals, but some of these were born before all the reinforced measures were fully in place. My Department had foreseen the likelihood that occasional, individual cases would from time to time arise, which might relate to circumstances specific to the farms in question and which do not conform with the general trend as the incidence of the disease recedes in the national herd. There is, however, no basis for suspecting that this or other such isolated cases are indicative of either a systemic failure in controls or of a reversal of, or deviation from, the overall positive trend as regards BSE in Ireland.

In 2004, 114 cases were confirmed to 12 November 2004 compared with 162 in the same period last year. This represents a reduction of 30%. Of these cases, 96% have occurred in animals born prior to the introduction of the additional controls. The shift in age profile of BSE cases as well as a reduction in case numbers indicates that the additional controls introduced in 1996/1997 have been effective in significantly reducing the exposure of animals born after 1997 to the infectious agent. It is expected that the incidence of disease will continue to decline as cows born prior to 1998 leave the system.

Question No. 66 answered with QuestionNo. 23.
Question No. 67 answered with QuestionNo. 27.
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