Five BSE cases were detected in the national herd in November, the Department of Agriculture announced yesterday. Two cases were found in a dairy herd of 109 animals in Co Monaghan. This is the third case of multiple infection in an Irish herd.
In the Dail last week, it emerged that two BSE cases had been found in the national herd at the Moorepark Research station in Fermoy, Co Cork. The second case was found following the slaughter of the herd and investigation into at-risk animals on that farm. The other case of multiple infection was found in a dairy herd in Limerick in December last year, the first known multiple infection.
The remaining cases announced yesterday were in Cavan, Donegal and Wexford. This brings the 1997 total to 73, one case less than in 1996 when the State recorded its highest level of the disease.