The Irish agriculture department announced the detection of an ‘atypical BSE’ case in an 18 year old cow.

An atypical case of BSE is thought to occur spontaneously in older animals, unlike ‘classic’ BSE, which is linked to the practice of feeding meat-and-bone meal to animals, and which is usually acquired early in life.

The case was identified through surveillance of fallen animals, in a screening test at a private lab.

The Irish government said there is no public health risk, as relevant controls are in place. The cow has been excluded from the food chain and its carcass will be incinerated. The disclosure oft he case will not affect Ireland’s ‘controlled risk’ BSE status from the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE).

101 atypical BSE cases were identified in the European Union between 2003 and 2015, and 2,999 cases of classical BSE were recorded during the same period, though BSE cases are becoming less common.