Explain, Belgium told

14 November 1997

Explain, Belgium told

THE EU Commission has demanded more details from the Belgian government about how the countrys first cow to be confirmed with BSE ended up in the animal feed chain.

Belgian officials admitted that the carcass had been rendered to meat and bonemeal, which was then included in livestock rations that were shipped to Holland and Poland.

The infected animal was not incinerated, as should happen with BSE cases, because Belgian officials diagnosed rabies. By the time scientists had examined the cows brain and confirmed BSE, the animal had already ended up in the feed chain.