The Department of Agriculture have confirmed on Thursday that the suspected case of BSE in a cow in Co Louth has now been confirmed as an “isolated classical case”.

In total 67 animals were tested, including four calves.

According to a statement from the Department of Agriculture, it has disposed of animals which posed a threat and it is now confident that any threat has been removed.

“The Department identified all animals potentially exposed to the BSE agent that caused this incident those born and reared on the birth-farm one year either side of the birth date of the positive animal, and her progeny. These have been slaughtered, excluded from the food and feed chains, and tested”.

Meat Industry Ireland confirmed that international beef markets remain unaffected by the single case of BSE.

They said that while this single case is disappointing, it has no impact from a beef trading perspective.

A spokesperson for Meat Industry Ireland said: “The confirmation of this single case has once again demonstrated clear evidence of, and wide-spread confidence in the effectiveness and robustness of the food safety controls in place in Ireland.

“Customers understand that this isolated case was identified as part and parcel of the rigorous surveillance system in place on animals that die on farms.”