German Ostriches May Have Mad Cow Disease

Ananova

Ostriches are showing BSE-type symptoms in Germany.

The birds have fallen ill after being fed animal bonemeal, which is blamed for causing the disease in cows.

German newspaper Die Zeit reports that the symptoms have been seen in ostriches in various zoos.

The paper says Britain's Ministry of Agriculture has ordered research to be conducted into the possible transmission of BSE from cattle to birds.

Vets at a Hanover college who examined the brains of the affected animals reported that they found the same kind of holes in the ostrich brains as were found in BSE-infected cattle.

Other experts have dismissed any transmission of BSE to birds. No BSE cases have been reported from commercial ostrich farms - because their animals are slaughtered before they are old enough to develop the illness.