Some Facts about Mad Cow Disease

Also known as Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is an illness associated with cows. It was first discovered in 1984 at a county near London. It is more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease due to the crazy behaviour of the infected cows.

Cows are known to be very tame creatures that do not attack humans or other animals. However, once being infected with this disease, the cows would be more on edge and have trouble controlling itself which leads to aggressive and antisocial behaviours such as kicking their owners. The cows would be more sensitive to its surroundings. They would eventually become weaker and soon would be unable to get up and eat. Once a cow has been infected with this disease, death would follow one to six months after they show their first signs of the disease.

What causes this disease is the formation of a sponge like structure in the grey matter of the cow’s brain. This disease is common to that of a disease that affects sheep known as scrapie which targets the animal’s nervous system. Researchers believe the agent causing this disease is similar to that that causes scrapie in sheep or by a sporadic form BSE. This however is uncertain. 

 
An infected cow that cannot stand up and refuse to eat

Information taken from: Mad cow disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) by Carmen Ferreiro

Norlina Dayana