First case of BSE reported in Switzerland since 2012
The cow (not pictured) was an isolated case
Keystone
A case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been reported in a farm cow in central Switzerland, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). This is the first Swiss case of BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease, since 2012.
The neurodegenerative disease was detected at the beginning of the year in a 13-year-old cow on a farm in Einsiedeln, the OIE said, citing a report from the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary OfficeExternal link (FSVO).
Brainstem samples were taken for analysis and the animal was killed on January 23 – “because it was old and lame, not because it was ill”, the cantonal vet explained. The samples showed that the BSE had been caused by a genetic mutation and not an infection from food.
The FSVO told swissinfo.ch that as this was an isolated atypical case no special measures were necessary and there was no risk of the disease spreading.
BSE initially appeared in Britain in 1986 and the first case of BSE in Switzerland – the first to be discovered on the European continent – was reported in 1990. The disease spread owing to cattle being fed animal meal which included misfolded proteins called prions.
At the time, meat sales in Switzerland dropped by about 10% because of low demand for beef.
Peak BSE
The crisis over mad cow disease reached a peak in Switzerland in 1995 when nearly 70 cases were reported across the country.
The veterinary office introduced fast BSE tests in 1999 to monitor cattle, and in 2001 the authorities imposed a complete ban on meat and bone meal in feed for livestock.
This content was published on
Stefan Mann, a researcher at the Agroscope research institute, which is attached to the Federal Agriculture Office, expects further food scandals, which in his view are caused primarily by the attitudes of consumers. Despite claiming in surveys to be uncomfortable with the anonymous mass production of food, consumers, according to Mann, are chiefly led by…
Have you heard something about Swiss diplomacy that you’d like us to fact check?
Not all information circulating about Switzerland’s foreign relations is accurate or well understood. Tell us what you'd like us to fact check or clarify.
Swiss scientists discover unusual zones in Earth’s mantle
This content was published on
Using high-resolution models to study the Earth's mantle, scientists have identified zones of rocks in the lower mantle that are colder, or have a different composition, than surrounding rocks.
Egyptian diplomat’s murder: prosecutor calls for acquittal of defendant’s girlfriend
This content was published on
The Swiss attorney general has called for the girlfriend of the main defendant in the case of the assassination of an Egyptian diplomat in Geneva in 1995 to be acquitted. The woman is charged with complicity.
Low-cost e-tailers Temu and Shein put Swiss retail sector under pressure
This content was published on
Most Swiss retailers are concerned by the stiff competition from China's low-cost online platforms Temu and Shein, according to a survey.
This content was published on
More and more offices are standing empty in Switzerland's major cities. Nevertheless, new office constructions are likely to increase in the future, a study shows.
Zoos should consider culling surplus animals to regulate populations, say researchers
This content was published on
Researchers from the University of Zurich say zoos must rethink population management and allow animals to reproduce naturally - zoos should then cull surplus animals.
Swiss billionaire Martin Haefner creates foundation
This content was published on
Martin Haefner, owner of the car importer Amag and one of Switzerland's richest citizens, has set up a foundation with his wife Marianne.
Swiss army cuts uniform distribution to save millions
This content was published on
Members of the Swiss Armed Forces will only receive a distinctive grey dress uniform, the famous "Tenü A", for representational purposes in the future as a cost-cutting measure to save CHF55 million.
Swiss, Danish tourists among three dead in Australian plane crash
This content was published on
A light aircraft crashed during take-off from a tourist island in Western Australia, killing three people including Swiss and Danish tourists and injuring three others, authorities said on Wednesday.
Presidents of Ukraine and Switzerland discuss future meeting
This content was published on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Swiss counterpart, Karin Keller-Sutter, have held talks by phone to prepare a future bilateral meeting, it was announced on Wednesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Social change stirs emotions in the kitchen
This content was published on
By their own admission, almost one in three Swiss pays no attention to his or her diet and shows no interest in dietary recommendations. This was one of several surprising findings of the Sixth Swiss Nutrition Report, published every seven years and most recently in January, when the Swiss received a resounding “could do better”…
This content was published on
Deep freezers in Swiss supermarkets offer a wide range of popular dishes such as lasagne al forno, lasagne verdi and lasagne Bolognese – all labelled as containing beef. Since February, however, when tests revealed horse in such products around Europe in varying amounts, the Swiss have been asking themselves what exactly is in the processed…
This content was published on
After nine years of legal wrangling, judges said the authorities could not be held liable for the losses, but the farmers said they might take their case to a European court. The ruling, published on Monday, said the Federal Veterinary Office and the Agriculture Office could not be blamed for failing to implement a ban…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.