Bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system of cattle. It is what is known as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Other TSEs include scrapie in sheep, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Although the exact cause of BSE is unknown, it is associated with the presence of an abnormal protein called a prion. There is no treatment or vaccine currently available for the disease.

More information

• Fact sheet – classical BSE
• Fact sheet – atypical BSE
• Infographic – comparing atypical and classical BSE

The protection of public health, food safety and animal health has been and continues to be a fundamental concern for the Government of Canada. In relation to BSE, the Government of Canada, through Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), has responded to the challenges presented by developing a comprehensive suite of internationally recognized, science-based measures to effectively minimize the likelihood of exposure, amplification and spread of BSE within the cattle population and to protect consumers from the associated human health risks.

• Overview of Canada's BSE Safeguards
  • BSE import policy for bovine animals and their products
  • BSE Enhanced Surveillance Program and testing results
  • Enhanced Animal Health Protection from BSE- Specified Risk Material
  • About Canada's Enhanced Feed Ban
• What to expect if your farm is under investigation
• Completed investigations
• BSE Risk Categorization
  • On May 27, 2021, Canada was officially recognized by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH; founded as Office International des Épizooties (OIE)) World Assembly of Delegates as a country with negligible risk for BSE

Note: Achieving "negligible risk" status for BSE does not trigger any immediate changes in Canada's current BSE control programs or requirements. A comprehensive analysis must be completed prior to making any changes to Canada's BSE control programs and only after verifying that any changes would not jeopardize Canada's new negligible risk BSE status or international markets.