The eight new cases of BSE found in the national herd last week have brought to 252 the number of cases found so far this year.
There were two 17-year-old animals from a Kerry dairy herd and one in Wexford. Three 16-year-old animals were found to have BSE, in herds in Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny.
Two 18-year-old animals were identified with BSE, one from a Leitrim herd and one from a Tipperary dairy herd.
There was one 19-year-old animal from a Galway dairy herd.
The Department of Agriculture and Food said two of the cases disclosed this week were identified by means of traditional passive surveillance. The remaining 6 cases have been identified under the increased active surveillance programme.
The Department said the underlying trend remains positive, and the increasing age profile of animals confirmed with the disease indicates that the enhanced controls introduced in 1996 and early 1997 are proving effective.