BSE in Ireland : A Case Study
Hazel Sheridan MVB MSc(Epi)
Superintending Veterinary Inspector
TSE and ABP Division
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food HQ
Presentation Outline
• Background: Ireland and the agri-food industry
• History of BSE in Ireland
• Regulation 999/2001 controls in Ireland
• Outcome of BSE controls
1
Background: Ireland
2
Background: Ireland
Ireland: Statistics
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•
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70,282 sq km (0.7% of China’s land mass)
4.5 million people
128,000 farms
61% land used for agricultural purposes
80% agricultural land = pasture, hay,
silage
• Natural grass based production systems
3
The Agri-Food Industry in Ireland
• Agri-food industry very important to the
Irish economy
Largest indigenous industry
10% employment
25% net foreign earnings
4
The Agri-Food Industry in Ireland
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•
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6.1 million cattle
34% are dairy animals
66% are beef animals
Export 9 out of every 10 beef animals
Largest net beef exporter in Europe and
one of the largest net beef exporters in the
world
• World’s largest producer of infant formula
History of BSE in Ireland
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Number
of
cases
Year of diagnosis
5
History of BSE in Ireland
• Majority born before 1997
• No case has occurred in any animal born in the last 6
years
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Number
of cases
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Year of birth
History of BSE in Ireland
• >99% cases have been diagnosed in cows
– Dairy = 67%
– Suckler = 28%
6
History of BSE in Ireland
• Majority of cases aged between 5 and 7
years
300
250
Number
of cases
200
150
100
50
0
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Age at diagnosis
Regulation 999/2001 controls in Ireland
BSE control programme
• Cumulative
risk
management
strategy
Removal
of infected
animals
Removal
of infective
tissues
Prevent
access to
MBM
7
First pillar
Removal and destruction of potentially
infected animals
• BSE clinical suspects
• BSE test positive animals
• Cohorts and progeny
First pillar
Destruction of BSE clinical suspects
• Legal obligation to notify DAFF
• All suspects examined by DAFF veterinarian
• IF BSE cannot be ruled out
• Animal is valued
• Euthanised
• Head removed and sent to DAFF
approved lab
• Rest of body is incinerated
• All carried out under DAFF supervision
8
First pillar
Destruction of BSE test positive animals
• Requirement under Reg 999/2001 for the
following animals to be tested in Ireland
• All bovine animals slaughtered for human
consumption over 48 months of age (will
change to 72 months on July 1)
• All bovine animals that die on farm over 48
months of age
9
First pillar
Destruction of BSE test positive animals
• If slaughtered animal tests positive for BSE
1. Entire body of the positive animal is
incinerated
2. Carcase before positive on the slaughter
line and 2 after are rendered
3. End products of rendering are incinerated
4. All these activities are carried out under
DAFF supervision
First pillar
Destruction of cohorts and progeny
If BSE confirmed, DAFF veterinarian using a DAFF computer system
called the Animal Identification and Movement system (AIM) identify:
• All live cohort animals
• Live progeny born within the last 2 years
Cohort and progeny animals are:
• Restricted and valued
• Slaughtered at a dedicated plant that does not slaughter
animals for human consumption
• All parts of the body sent for rendering
• End products of rendering incinerated
• All carried out under DAFF supervision
10
DAFF’s active surveillance system
11
12
13
14
DAFF’s active surveillance system
• Samples tested in DAFF approved labs overnight
• Results notified to official veterinarian
• Only if negative result may carcase be stamped
• Positives or inconclusives are collected by DAFF
employed company and are taken for incineration
• Carcase before positive or inconclusive and 2
after are sent for rendering and incineration
DAFF’s bovine traceability system
• All bovine animals in Ireland are fully traceable from birth
to death
• System has been in place since 1997
• Consists of 4 elements
1. Official identity tags
2. Passport
3. Herd Register
4. DAFF computer system (AIM)
15
Official identity tags
• All bovine animals in Ireland are fully traceable from birth
to death
• System has been in place since 1997
• Consists of 4 elements
1. Official identity tags
2. Passport
3. Herd Register
4. DAFF computer system (AIM)
Official ear tags
• Keeper
• Req uired by legislation
• Apply 2 identical tags; one in each ear
• Tags may only be obtained from DAFF approved
supplied
• Tag lost? Must be replaced by an identical
tag
16
Passports
• Keeper required to have by legislation
• Receives passport when birth registered. Must register
all births (and deaths) within 7 days
• Passport must accompany animal if sold, died or sent for
slaughter
17
Herd Register
• Keeper required to have by legislation
• Written or electronic format
• Required to record all animals on the holding
• Also required to record all births, deaths and sales
18
DAFF’s computer system
• Animal Identification and Movement system
• Centrally maintained by DAFF
• Records origin, movement, death and slaughter of all
bovine animals
• Data uploaded daily from cattle markets and slaughter
plants
• Keepers required to notify births, deaths and sales within
7 days
Regulation 999/2001 controls in Ireland
BSE control programme
• Cumulative
risk
management
strategy
Removal
of infected
animals
Removal
of infective
tissues
Prevent
access to
MBM
19
Second pillar
Removal and destruction of potentially infective
tissues
Animals slaughtered for human
consumption:
•SRM primarily removed in
slaughterhouses
•Cutting plants and retail outlets may be
authorised to remove vertebral column
•Food Business operator agrees with the
official veterinarian a procedure for
staining, identification, handling, storage
and transport
•Compliance ensured official veterinarian
20
Second pillar
Removal and destruction of potentially infective
tissues
• Specified Risk Materials
•Animals that die on farm:
• SRMs must not be removed
• Whole carcase (minus meat and the hide) is
sent for rendering
• End products of rendering are incinerated
• Compliance checked by official veterinarian
21
Third pillar
Effective feedban
1. Controls on meat and bone meal production, transport,
storage and utilisation
• All rendering plants are approved
by DAFF
• DAFF official in all rendering
plants (8)
• MBM may only be sent to
authorised premises
• Off site stores also controlled by
DAFF
Third pillar
Effective feedban
2. Controls on feed production, transport, storage and
utilisation
• All feedmills are authorised by
DAFF
• Inspection and sampling on a risk
basis of feedmills, stores, retailers
and on farm
• Microscopic test (very sensitive)
• DAFF approved lab
• Consignments that test positive
must be properly disposed of
22
Third pillar
Numbers of feed controls
Year
2006
No. of
inspections
2007
2008
2009
2010
2,470
2,394
2,079
1,947
1,669
No. of samples 1,325
1,169
1,248
1,279
1,180
10,00
Odds ratio & R°(Log scale)
1,00
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
Birth cohort
Odds ratio
(CI95%)
0,10
R°
0,01
Ireland
0,00
23
Outcome of the control programme in
Ireland
• Very significant decline in incidence
Incidence
of test
positives
0.0005
0.00045
0.0004
0.00035
0.0003
0.00025
0.0002
0.00015
0.0001
0.00005
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year of test
Outcome of the control programme in
Ireland
• Increase in the age profile of cases
16
14
12
Mean age
of cases 10
8
6
4
2
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year of test
24
Outcome of the control programme in
Ireland
• Ireland like many other EU Member States is classified as
controlled BSE Risk by OIE
• Deboned meat can be traded regardless of BSE status
Meat and meat products are safe to trade provided:
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Passed ante and post mortem examination
Not stunned using gas, air, or pithing
Not contaminated with SRMs
Does not contain mechanically separated meat
from skull or vertebral column
IRELAND
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Conclusion
• Cumulative risk management programme capable of
controlling and eradicating BSE effectively implemented
in Ireland and other Member States
• Very significant decline in the incidence of BSE in Ireland
and other Member States
• Meat and meat products from Ireland
and other Member States are safe
to trade
Background: Ireland
Thank you for listening
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