
The U.S. has reported an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in a beef cow approximately five years old or older at a slaughter plant in South Carolina. The animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply or to human health in the U.S. The radio frequency identification tag present on the animal is associated with a herd in Tennessee. APHIS and veterinary officials in South Carolina and Tennessee are gathering more information during this ongoing investigation.