Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) says the confirmed Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) case should not impact international trade.

Sheila Voas spoke out after routine surveillance and stringent control measures identified the case on a farm in Ayrshire.

Precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place at impacted premises and cover animals which have been in contact with the case.

Ms Voas said: “While it is disappointing to have a confirmed case of BSE in Ayrshire, it shows how effective our surveillance and control measures are in Scotland and across the UK.

READ MORE | BSE case confirmed in Ayrshire - restrictions in place

“This isolated case should not affect international trade. Scotch beef is safe and can continue to be exported to trading partners.

“Consumers can also be reassured that all important protection measures remain in place. No meat from the affected animal has entered the food chain.”

The UK is currently classed as having ‘Controlled BSE Status’ by the World Animal Health Organisation (WOAH) and this status permits trade to continue, although there may be a small number of countries which use these cases as an excuse to impost import restrictions.

WOAH has last year changed the standards to account for the evolution of the epidemics around the world and the greater knowledge of the disease, to allow for countries that have occasional cases not to lose their ability to trade by demonstrating they have controls in place to look for the disease, protect the feed chain, and ensure no cases end up in the food chain.

The new rules mean an epidemiological report must be submitted to WOAH within 90 days of a case being found, with the outcome of the investigations on this case, demonstrating that any identified source of infection has been controlled and the risk of BSE agents being recycled within the bovine population has continued to be negligible.

Minister Jim Fairlie praised the animal’s owner for their diligence and decisive action, which has minimised the impact on the wider industry.

Sarah Millar, chief executive of Quality Meat Scotland said: “Our export markets are important, particularly the EU countries, which generate nearly 96% of our beef export revenues. The Scottish red meat sector has built up strong business relationships in our export markets over a considerable period of time, and we continue to be in close contact with all stakeholders as normal.

“It is reassuring that Scottish Government is able to demonstrate that the official prevention response plan and surveillance systems in place are working effectively. Our economic analysis following the previous case shows that it had little impact, with export revenues reaching an all-time high in the period following it.

“We continue to monitor the situation, and to maintain close dialogue with our overseas markets to ensure Scotch Beef exports continue as normal.”

BSE decimated the sector in the late 1980s and early 1990s resulting in the slaughter of almost four and a half million cattle. Since then, significant progress has been made in understanding the condition resulting in just a handful of cases over the past ten years.