The four cases of BSE confirmed this month in the Irish herd bring to 300 the number recorded here since the disease was first identified in 1989.
Department of Agriculture officials expressed pleasure yesterday at the low level recorded this month, as the findings indicated a downward trend in the incidence of infection.
The cases were found in herds in Longford, Limerick, Donegal and Galway. They bring to 29 the number of bovine spongiform encephalopathy cases recorded since the beginning of the year.
The Department spokesman said that, to date this year, there had been five fewer clinical cases than in the same period last year.