The Food Standards Agency.

Abstract

2.2 The main purpose of BSE testing is to monitor the level of BSE in cattle over time and thereby check on the continued effectiveness of BSE controls. Currently EU legislation requires 25 MS (EU-25), i.e. all except Romania and Bulgaria, to BSE test all “risk cattle” aged over 48 months and all healthy cattle slaughtered for human consumption aged over 72 months (although they may opt to test younger cattle). The relevant legislation also states that, from 1 January 2013, these EU25 MS may decide to test only a minimum annual sample of healthy cattle slaughtered for human consumption aged over 72 months (O72M). The current UK monitoring programme is summarised at Annexe A.