A case of mad cow disease has been discovered on a farm in the Netherlands, the country’s agriculture minister, Piet Adema, said on Wednesday (1st).
According to the Reuters news agency, the infection was found in a cow that died on January 30. In a letter to the Dutch parliament, the minister did not specify on which farm the infected animal was found.
The infection is being studied by experts to determine whether the disease is a type called atypical or classic bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
Variants of mad cow disease
The atypical variant of mad cow disease can occur as a result of old age. The classic type of infection, on the other hand, is usually caused by contaminated animal feed.
Infections in Europe
Widespread cases of mad cow disease affected cattle herds in the United Kingdom and other European countries in the 1990s. Atypical cases have been detected occasionally in recent years and may lead to temporary trade restrictions.
Source: Canal Rural