The cow, which was born in Alberta in the year 2004, was found to have developed a degenerative brain disease, reported the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on its website. The scientific name of the disease is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

The six year old animal was tested and it was revealed that no part of its body had entered either the human or the animal feed chains.

Japan suspended imports for half a day. This new case has pushed back the earliest date for an upgrade to Canada's restricted risk status from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to the year 2016, according to Ted Haney, President of the Canada Beef Export Federation.

If a country is found to have no cases for 11 years after the birth of the youngest animal diagnosed, it is eligible to apply for negligible risk status for BSE.

Negligible risk status means less observation, which leads to reduction in the cost of production and opening up of more markets.