Case of Mad Cow disease is identified on a Somerset farm as officials seal off the area to stop infection spreading

• Infected animal is dead and has been removed from the unnamed farm
• The agency said precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place
• Today's case is first since 2018, when disease was found on a farm in Scotland

A case of mad cow disease has been confirmed on a farm in Somerset.   

The Animal and Plant Health Agency said the infected animal was dead and had been removed from the farm.

It said there was 'no risk to food safety'.

The agency said precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place to stop the movement of livestock in the area while further investigations continue to identify the origin of the disease, the official name of which is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Today's case is the first since 2018, when the disease was found on a farm in Scotland.   

A case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) - an infection commonly known as mad cow disease - has been confirmed on a farm in Somerset (file photo)