NO FURTHER cases of BSE have been found on the Aberdeenshire farm that recently recorded Scotland's first case of the disease in 10 years.

Supporting the theory that the single case on Thomas Jackson’s Boghead Farm, near Lumsden, was an example of the brain condition's known ability to occur spontaneously in individual cattle, thorough testing of the infected animal's herd relatives has since found no further trace of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.

Commenting on the test results, Mr Jackson said: “As part of the robust surveillance requirements, the cohorts and offspring of the cow found to have BSE were identified and were slaughtered and tested as there is no test that can be carried out on the live animals.

“As was expected, the tests carried out on these four animals have come back negative for BSE," confirmed Mr Jackson. "The cow involved seems to have been one of the very few sporadic cases that still happen across the world – unfortunately it just happened to be ours.

“We have fully co-operated with all the parties involved throughout the investigation. We now need to move on from what has been a very difficult time for us and get back to some form of normality.”

The isolated case was found as part of the routine testing required upon the death of any cattle over 48 months old. One of Mr Jackson's herd, a five-year-old pedigree Aberdeen Angus cow tested positive at post mortem, prompting officials to step in and place the farm under quarantine last month.

The cow’s calf, along with three other ‘cohort’ cows, have since been culled and tested as a precautionary measure, yielding no further evidence of infection.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: "We welcome the news that the precautionary tests recently carried out on a further four animals were negative for BSE.

"‎Vets from the Animal and Plant Health Agency have now commenced a veterinary epidemiological investigation to establish, if possible, the source of the disease. This will take time to complete. As the Rural Affairs Minister advised Parliament, when there are updates to be provided we will provide them."