There were four new cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) discovered this week, bringing to 213 the number of cases found so far this year.
The animals involved included an 18-year-old Wexford suckler; an 18-year-old Tipperary dairy cow, an 18-year-old Wicklow dairy cow and a 7-year-old Limerick suckler.
Of the four cases disclosed this week one was identified by means of traditional passive surveillance.
The remaining three cases have been identified under the increased active surveillance programme.
Under this programme testing of a proportion of fallen stock and cattle destined for human consumption was initiated in July 2000. This was extended in January 2001 to test all cattle over 30 months destined for human consumption and all casualty animals.
Since July 2001 all fallen cattle are also tested. Over 660,000 tests were carried out in 2001 and over 335,000 tests have been carried out this year to-date.
