The single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) found this week by Department of Agriculture and Food vets, brings to 40 the number of cases of the disease recorded so far this year.
This compares with 76 cases for the same period last year, with 119 cases for the equivalent period in 2003 and with 203 cases for the equivalent period in 2002.
As with the majority of cases found in the last two years, the 10- year-old animal from a beef herd in Kerry was found under the 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. More than 2.75 million tests have been carried out up to the end of 2004.
The Department of Agriculture said in a statement yesterday that the underlying trend in cases being identified remained positive.
The increasing age-profile of animals confirmed with the disease indicates that the enhanced controls introduced in 1996 and early 1997 are proving effective.