Seminar for veterinary inspectors - Prevention of BSE

On Friday 20 April 2001 a seminar was held in Danica d.o.o. on the procedure of taking samples of brain tissue from bovines older than 30 months to be analysed for “prions” which are the agent responsible for BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy).

The seminar was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry – Veterinary Administration Office in cooperation with the Veterinary Institute. The seminar was led by Đuro Majurdžić, M.Sc., head of the Veterinary Department of Public Health.

The seminar was attended by certified veterinary inspectors from slaughterhouses responsible for slaughtering cattle in the counties of Koprivnica-Križevci, Bjelovar-Bilogora, Varaždin and Međimurje. The heads of the county veterinary offices also attended the seminar whose goal was to train veterinary inspectors prior to the imminent introduction of the compulsory testing of cattle. According to Đuro Majurdžić, such seminars are part of the national programme for the monitoring and prevention of BSE, and are a precondition for the start of the compulsory testing of samples of spinal marrow in the laboratory of the Croatian Veterinary Institute in Zagreb. Since Croatia is free of mad cow disease, these activities have only a preventive role. Another preventive measure is the application of the instructions on procedures to be taken with the high-risk parts of bovines. These instructions have been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry – Veterinary Administration Office.

According to Dr. Marin Zečević, the director of the Control Service, starting from February, all the internal organs of cattle will be separated and destroyed, following a special procedure initiated to protect people who work in this area and to safeguard other parts of the meat. After this seminar, the veterinary inspectors of Danica will also be trained to take samples for testing.

For all additional information, please feel free to call Dr Marin Zečević on 652-302.