The first case of BSE in the past two years has been revealed in a cow from a farm in Tilburg. However, the name of the farm has not been divulged.

This ‘mad cow disease’ has been found in a 10-year-old cow in Netherlands, the Agricultural Ministry has reported. This mad cow disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy is said to have first made an appearance in Britain in the 1980s. Since then it was found in herds in several European and other countries.

The last case of BSE had been reported in May 2008 and the doctors affirm that it generally spreads when the infected meat and bone meal is fed to the cattle. It also has an effect on humans causing vCJD.

When it first came up, it resulted in the slaughtering and burning of millions of animals. Britain had reportedly spent $6 billion while sorting out the crisis; this however did not include job losses.

The Agriculture Ministry said, "This fits the estimate of the Central Veterinary Institute in Lelystad, that the Netherlands will encounter few infected cow in the coming year”.

There had been a worldwide ban on British beef exports after the emergence of BSE and this was to some extent lifted up in 1999.