The case was confirmed on Friday after tests were carried out by Irish Department of Agriculture vets on a 10-year-old cow.
Source: BBC
Beef exports from the Republic of Ireland to China have been suspended after a case of atypical BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease, was detected in a cow.
Irish broadcaster RTÉ reports that the case was confirmed on Friday after tests were carried out by Irish Department of Agriculture vets on a dead 10-year-old cow that had been delivered for destruction.
The Chinese market had reopened to Irish beef exports in January, following a three-year closure due to a previous BSE case discovered in 2020.
Under a protocol agreed with China, beef exports have to be suspended when any BSE case is discovered.
It is understood any timetable for the resumption of beef exports is up to the Chinese authorities.
Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin said on Wednesday he is hopeful Chinese authorities will reach a decision on the resumption of beef exports "within a matter of months".
Mr Martin is currently on a four-day visit to China and said he was not concerned about damage to Ireland's reputation.
He added that the voluntary suspension of the trade "is part of a protocol that Ireland and China entered into to facilitate the entry of beef into the Chinese market".
"It is disappointing that this happened, but I think it's a vindication of our controls," Mr. Martin said.
