71.   But dairy cows over this age do not need to be culled until the end of their milk-producing lives, since BSE cannot be transmitted through milk.

72.   The older cattle being earmarked for destruction are mostly dairy cows nearing the end of their milk production and destined for eventual use as burgers and sausage.

73.   Three ageing Japanese dairy cows have been confirmed to have been infected with BSE, since September.

74.   Since September, the Japanese government has confirmed three cases of BSE in holstein dairy cows aged over five years.

75.   Starzen also admitted to shipping meat from Holstein dairy cows as more expensive beef when stocks depleted.

76.   The doomed cattle are mainly dairy cows which have reached the end of their productive life.

77.   The firm also admitted to shipping meat from Holstein dairy cows as more expensive beef when stocks depleted.

78.   The delay in the dairy cow slaughter has been blamed on insufficient infrastructure, in particular abattoirs and refrigerated storage facilities.