French goat is found to have BSE
The [[w:European Union|European Union]] has announced that a [[w:france|French]] goat has become the first animal other than a cow to ever have tested positive for [[w:bovine spongiform encephalopathy|bovine spongiform encephalopathy]] (BSE). The results were announced after over two years testing of the goat's remains. Scientists originally thought that the goat was suffering from [[w:scrapie|scrapie]], another degenerative disease that can be found in goats and sheep.

This discovery proves correct the theory that BSE, or mad cow disease as it is commonly know, can exist in [[w:ruminants|ruminants]] other than cattle.

The EU has stated that eating goat products is still safe due to precautionary measures which have been put in place. "I want to reassure consumers that existing safety measures in the EU offer a very high level of protection." The EU Commissioner responsible for Health and Consumer Protection, Markos Kyprianou said regarding the findings.

"This case was discovered thanks to the EU testing system in place in France."

"The testing programme has shown us that there is a very low incidence rate of TSEs (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies) in goats and allowed us to detect suspect animals so that they can be taken out of the food chain, as was done with this goat and its entire herd." 

The EU intends to test 200,000 goats in the 25 member states over the next six months.

==Reference==
*{{source|url=http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-goat29.html 
|title=First goat found with mad-cow disease
|author= 
|pub=Chicago Sun-Times
|date=January 29, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4216431.stm
|title= 'Mad cow' disease found in goat
|author= 
|pub=BBC News
|date=Friday, 28 January, 2005, 15:31 GMT }}

  
 
{{archive}}
[[Category:January 28, 2005]]
[[Category:European Union]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:France]]
[[Category:Health]]
[[Category:published]]
[[Category:Bovine spongiform encephalopathy]]
[[Category:Infectious disease]]
[[Category:Disease]]
[[Category:Goats]]
The European Union has announced that a French goat has become the first animal other than a cow to ever have tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The results were announced after over two years testing of the goat's remains. Scientists originally thought that the goat was suffering from scrapie, another degenerative disease that can be found in goats and sheep.

This discovery proves correct the theory that BSE, or mad cow disease as it is commonly know, can exist in ruminants other than cattle.

The EU has stated that eating goat products is still safe due to precautionary measures which have been put in place. "I want to reassure consumers that existing safety measures in the EU offer a very high level of protection." The EU Commissioner responsible for Health and Consumer Protection, Markos Kyprianou said regarding the findings.

"This case was discovered thanks to the EU testing system in place in France."

"The testing programme has shown us that there is a very low incidence rate of TSEs (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies) in goats and allowed us to detect suspect animals so that they can be taken out of the food chain, as was done with this goat and its entire herd." 

The EU intends to test 200,000 goats in the 25 member states over the next six months.
January 28, 2005 European Union Europe France Health published Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Infectious disease Disease Goats