PARIS, France (Reuters) — France has found a suspected case of BSE in the northeastern region of Ardennes, the farm ministry said.
If confirmed, it would be the first case since 2004. That could hit beef exports at a time when livestock farmers are already struggling.
Samples of the five-year old cow were sent to a reference laboratory in Britain and test results were expected within 10 days, a ministry official said.
A confirmed case could change France’s official BSE risk level, assigned by the World Organization for Animal Health. France regained the safest level, “negligible risk”, last year as it could demonstrate that the last infected native animal was born more than 11 years before.
