A second case of a newly discovered livestock disease has been confirmed.
The first Schmallenberg virus case was confirmed by the Department of Agriculture last week following tests on a bovine foetus which came from a farm in Co Cork. This latest case was discovered on another Cork farm. A cow had aborted a foetus and a postmortem confirmed the presence of the virus.
The Schmallenberg virus does not pose a risk to human health or have food safety implications, but if cows, sheep or goats come in contact with the virus during the early stages of pregnancy, they may subsequently abort or give birth to malformed offspring.
The disease is thought to be spread by midges.
