Austria Reports First Case of Mad Cow Disease
VIENNA - Austria today confirmed its first case of mad cow disease, leaving Sweden as the only country in the European Union without a reported case, Reuters reports.
Mandatory testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy was done after the cow was slaughtered last Thursday. The contaminated cow came from a farm near Gmuend in the eastern province of Lower Austria.
Both the farm and slaughterhouse have been closed down as more animals are tested.
Finland also reported its first case of BSE last week.
Austria is known for its organic farming, strict environmental laws and high veterinary standards. It has banned the feeding of meat and bone meal products, suspected of carrying the disease, to cattle and sheep since 1990.
Mandatory testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy was done after the cow was slaughtered last Thursday. The contaminated cow came from a farm near Gmuend in the eastern province of Lower Austria.
Both the farm and slaughterhouse have been closed down as more animals are tested.
Finland also reported its first case of BSE last week.
Austria is known for its organic farming, strict environmental laws and high veterinary standards. It has banned the feeding of meat and bone meal products, suspected of carrying the disease, to cattle and sheep since 1990.