A mature bull in Alberta was infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirms.

No part of the animal entered the human food or animal feed systems. The bull falls within the age range of previous BSE cases detected in Canada, meaning it was probably exposed to a small amount of infective material early in its life.

An epidemiological investigation will try to examine what the animal was fed in its early life and identify its herdmates at the time. Findings will be publicly released.

The finding of a mature animal should not impact Canada's BSE country categorization submission to the World Organization for Animal Health.