How was BSE spread?
BSE is not a contagious disease and is not spread directly between cattle. Rather, it is a disease that infects cattle through being fed risk material – such as brain and spinal cord – contained in meat and bone meal derived from BSE-affected cattle. The long delay between BSE infection and onset of disease symptoms meant that many animals were infected in this way before the first sick animal was discovered. As recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), feeding meat and bone meal derived from ruminants (such as cattle, sheep and goats) to other ruminants has been banned for more than 10 years in the UK, most parts of Europe, Canada, the USA and many other countries. Australia has similar bans in place, even though Australia is BSE-free. Information can be found on the websites for the OIE and WHO.
