All three cows in Japan that were diagnosed with mad cow disease had apparently been fed a milk substitute from the same factory, according to a probe by the Gunma prefectural government held over the weekend.
However, it is unclear if the finding will lead to finding the source of the infection because the manufacturer says the substitute does not contain meat-and-bone meal (MBM), the suspected source of the disease, formally called bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.
The Hokkaido farmers who raised the first two cows found to be infected with BSE in September and November said they were fed with the substitute produced at a factory in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, that is run by Scientific Feed Laboratory Co.
The Miyagi, Gunma Prefecture, farmer who raised the third cow, which was found to be infected on Friday, said he had used milk substitute but does not remember the name of the maker.