New case of BSE reported

The Czech Republic has discovered its first case of mad cow disease so far this year, the country's State Veterinary Office reported on Wednesday. An 11-year-old cow was found infected with BSE, the 27th case in total for the Czech Republic. Eight infected animals were found in 2005, three more in 2006, while the first case occurred in 2001. "This corresponds to the trend in other European Union countries where the number of diagnosed BSE cases is also on the decline," the office said. Obligatory BSE testing in the Czech Republic is made on the brains of slaughtered animals 30 months old or more.