Ottawa, Canada — Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has cropped up in a six-year-old beef cow from Alberta, Canada. It is the country’s 12th case of mad cow since 2003, government officials say, although some media reports bring that number up to 14. 

The news comes from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which made the announcement today. No part of the animal’s carcass entered the food supply for humans or animals, officials say.

At press time, an investigation remained underway. CFIA is tracing the animal’s herdmates at the time of birth and examining possible infection sources. “The age and location of the infected animal are consistent with previous cases detected in Canada,” officials say.

This latest positive case was detected via the country’s BSE surveillance program. Canada remains a “controlled risk” country for BSE — a designation issued by the World Organization for Animal Health. CFIA does not expect it to affect Canadian cattle or beef exports.