The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Thursday it will expand the scope of its cattle testing to ensure it finds animals that may be infected with mad cow disease, ministry officials said Thursday.
In addition to various neurological symptoms, the ministry has decided to include fever, abnormal breathing and reduced milk as signs warranting stricter inspection, they said.
A Holstein suspected of being infected was discovered at a farm in Chiba Prefecture earlier this month, unable to stand. The initial diagnosis, made by a veterinary surgeon, ruled out mad cow disease.