At that age, the animal was clearly born after Canada's 1997 feed rule banning the use of meat and bone meal.

The diagnosis of the new case was made June 23 in a Holstein dairy cow in British Columbia.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said no part of the animal's carcass entered the human food supply, and no risk materials entered the animal feed system.

Previous Canadian cases ranged in age from 50 to 192 months of age.

CFIA continues to investigate and gather additional information about the animal's background, including tracing its herdmates at birth, as defined by international BSE response guidelines.

CFIA will also undertake a comprehensive feed investigation to examine how this animal became infected.