The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Wednesday it has discovered a second case of mad cow disease in its ongoing inspections, and a panel of experts convened by the ministry formally confirmed the case later in the day.
The cow was found at a meat inspection center in Hokkaido, the ministry said. The 67-month-old Holstein was born and raised on farmland in the village of Sarufutsu, northern Hokkaido, according to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry.
The cow, slaughtered Monday, was suspected of having the disease in an initial test and then tested positive Wednesday morning in a confirmation test at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, according to the health ministry.