A French goat which was slaughtered in 2002 and thought to have had scrapie, a condition similar to mad cow that occurs in goats, has tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. (Otherwise known as Mad Cow Disease)
It is believed to be the first animal in the world to have the disease other than a cow. However, the European Commission has stressed that there was no cause for alarm over the matter.
Over 100 people in the UK have died as a result of eating meat tainted with the disease. The goat was among a herd of 300 in the Ardeche region, in southeast France, all of which have been slaughtered.
