What is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease?
Mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a progressive disorder of the brain and nervous system of cattle that is caused by an unusual infectious agent called a prion. BSE resembles a disease found in sheep that has been known for many decades. The BSE epidemic among cattle started in the United Kingdom and peaked in January 1993. The outbreak may have resulted from feeding infected sheep meat-and-bone meal to cattle. There is strong evidence and general agreement that feeding rendered bovine meat-and-bone meal to young calves increased the spread of the outbreak in the United Kingdom.
