Vol. 472 No. 4
58 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if the herd of origin of BSE-infected animals is also destroyed when BSE-infected herds are destroyed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22449/96]
When a case of BSE is confirmed in an animal, it is policy to slaughter the entire herd in which that animal is located together with its birth cohorts and progeny. Accordingly, when an animal has been bought in from another herd, the normal practice is that only its progeny and birth cohorts, if any, which remain in the herd of origin are slaughtered under my Department's depopulation policy. This procedure is based on current scientific evidence which suggests that these animals are likely to be at a greater risk of subsequently contracting the disease. However, in cases where the animal concerned has only recently moved from another herd prior to confirmation of the disease, it is the policy to slaughter out that herd also as well as the herd in which the animal was present at the time of confirmation of the disease.
