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EC TSE Reference Laboratory

TSE video clips (clinical signs)

All work was authorised by the Secretary of State for the Home Office under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986.

Warning: The following files are very large and if downloaded over a standard (55k) dial-up connection will individually take up to 20 minutes to download.

If you have problems viewing the clips directly you could try right-clicking on the video links below and selecting 'Save Target As'. This will allow the clip to be downloaded fully then played in Microsoft Media Player or a similar application capable of viewing Windows Media Audio/Video (.wmv) files. As a trial, this is a link to the smallest clip in the collection (414 kb).

If you would like a CD-ROM containing these files in MPEG (mpg) format please contact the CRL at tseeucrl@vla.defra.gsi.gov.uk.

We also offer a DVD for purchase which includes BSE clips at a higher resolution with a commentary. There are also some additional case files displaying BSE-like symptoms.

Video clips by species:

Cattle

Sheep

Goat

Cattle video clips

Startle response on way to milking parlour (5.5mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Four cows walk into the milking parlour where they pass a shovel that leans against the gate (only the handle is visible). The healthy cows either ignore it (first cow) or sniff it curiously (third and fourth cow). The second cow, however, hesitates and flinches. Spontaneous startle responses during milking were the first observed clinical signs in this orally inoculated animal at 46 months post inoculation, which later became more frequent and more severe. The clinical examination was still unremarkable at that time.

Aggressive behaviour in pen (1.4mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 9 years old. This cow responds to a passive observer with pawing of the ground, head tossing and snorting. This aggressive behaviour is elicited by merely standing at the gate without further interference.

Cow apprehensive of crossing drain when exiting pen (1.0mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 7 years old. This cow is apprehensive of the drain in front of the pen exit. Although the drain is covered by bedding, the cow is very hesitant to cross the drain, sniffs it anxiously and shivers briefly but eventually leaps over.

Cow over-reacting to tactile stimuli (2.8mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Holstein cow, 8 years old. This cow over-reacts to tactile stimuli when either touched on the head or lightly pricked on the neck with artery forceps, which is characterised by head tossing or head bobbing. She kicks out when pressure is applied on the thoracic spinal column but stays calm when the examiner stands behind her to measure the rectal temperature. Touching the distal part of the hind limbs with a flexible stick results occasionally in quick, forceful kicks.

Cow over-reacting to visual stimulus ('approach by hand') (1.2mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 7 years old. BSE cases often over-react to visual stimuli, such as waving a hand towards the animal's face ('approach by hand'). This cow startles initially then tosses her head and snorts towards the moving or later stationary hand.

Cow kicking when touched by stick (414kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Holstein cow, 7^1/2 years old. Repeated touching of the distal parts of the hind limbs with a flexible stick elicits forceful kicks. It is important to repeat the stick test several times to assess if the animal habituates to the stimulus.

Spontaneous startle response of cow in yard (1.7mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 8 years old. When released into the yard this cow startles several times without obvious stimulus (spontaneous startle responses).

Cow over-reacting to auditory stimulus (metallic 'bang') (603kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 7 years old. This cow startles and struggles repeatedly to a sudden metallic sound created by hitting a metal lid with a hammer ('bang'). This test is repeated at least twice since BSE cases usually do not habituate to the stimulus.

Cow over-reacting to visual stimulus (flash light) (847kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 9 years old. A camera flash is held in front of this recumbent cow ('flash test') to test the response to visual stimuli. The cow flinches at every flash, i.e. she does not habituate to the stimulus. Please also note the frequent ear movements after the second flash.

Cow over-reacting to visual stimulus (waving clipboard) (456kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 8 years old and Friesian steer, 7 years old. A clipboard with a white sheet of paper attached to it is waved towards two animals, a cow with BSE and a healthy steer. The cow startles repeatedly whilst the steer stays calm. The test should be repeated to assess if habituation occurs.

Cow with head tremor (3.5mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 6^1/2 years old. This cow was filmed shortly after transport. It displays a fine head tremor, which later disappeared when the cow got accustomed to the new environment. Please also note the brief head toss with snort.

Cow displaying BSE series of events (106mb) (nose and flank licking, flehmen) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 4 years old. This cow displays BSE series of events. Note the nose licking, flehmen and head tossing sideways, once with touching of the flank ('flank licking'). Please also note the flapping of the ears when the cow tosses her head sideways.

Cow displaying BSE series of events (1.3mb) (head tossing, nose licking, teeth grinding) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 4^1/2 years old. This cow displays BSE series of events when faced by a passive observer. She tosses her head and licks her nose, which is accompanied by teeth grinding.

Cow displaying BSE series of events (1.3mb) (rubbing, nose licking, snorting) © Crown Copyright 2003
Limousin cow, 9 years old. This cow rubs her head and neck excessively on the door frame, followed by nose licking and snorting.

Cow with a wide-based stance (788kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Hereford crossbred cow, 6 years old. This suckler cow was ataxic on the hind limbs and displays here a wide-based stance with lowered head.

Cow with ataxia and hypermetria (836kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Friesian cow, 4^1/2 years old. This cow displays hind limb ataxia (note the swaying of the hip) with mild hypermetria (note the excessive lifting of the hind feet with each step)

Sheep video clips

Sheep with ataxia (1.3mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Bleu du Maine ewe (VRQ/VRQ), 2 years old. This ewe is ataxic, characterised by excessive swaying of the hind quarters. Please also note the crouching posture with excessive flexion of the hocks when the ewe turns.

Sheep collapsing during examination (1.6mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Welsh Mountain ewe (VRQ/VRQ), 3 years old. This ewe presents with collapsing episodes suggestive of catalepsy: She displays a flaccid paralysis without loss of consciousness since she still (over-)reacts to testing the menace response.

Sheep with head tremor over-reacting to auditory stimulus (1.4mb) (hand clap) © Crown Copyright 2003
Welsh Mountain ewe (VRQ/VRQ), 3 years old. This ewe has a fine head tremor and displays startle reactions particularly to auditory stimuli (hand clap).

Dysfunctional menace response in a sheep (837kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Suffolk ewe (ARQ/ARQ), 3^1/2 years old. This ewe does not react to the menace response. This may be caused by dysfunction of cerebellar pathways because the animal had a normal blink reflex and was able to leave and re-enter her pen and walk along the corridor without any evidence of visual impairment.

Sheep with pruritus (1.6mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Swaledale ewe (VRQ/VRQ), 4 years old. This ewe displays pruritic behaviour, such as scratching her chest with her hind leg and displaying a spontaneous scratch response ('nibble reflex' - lip and tongue movements) when she rubs her back briefly on the hay rack.

Sheep with a positive scratch response (1) (1.5mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Bleu du Maine ewe (ARQ/VRQ), 3 years old. This ewe reacts to scratching of the back with head, lip and tongue movements ('nibble reflex'), which still continue after the stimulus has ceased. In addition, the sheep displays a fine body tremor, which is only visible at the end of the clip.

Sheep with a positive scratch response (2) (1.9mb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Swaledale ewe (VRQ/VRQ), 4 years old. Repeated scratching the back of this ewe elicits a 'positive scratch response', usually called 'nibble reflex', characterised by head and lip movements.

Sheep with a positive but subtle scratch response (3) (913kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Charollais crossbred ewe (AHQ/ARQ), 7 years old. This ewe responds to scratching of the thigh and tail head with fine twitching of the lips only.

Sheep with a positive scratch response (4) (690kb) © Crown Copyright 2003
Bleu du Maine ewe (VRQ/VRQ), 2 years of age. This ewe responds to scratching of the back with head, lip and tongue movements ('positive scratch response', 'nibble reflex').

Goat video clips

Ataxia with drifting (4.2mb) © Crown Copyright 2007
Saanen doe (ARQ/ARQ), 4 years of age, with 8-month-old kid. The adult goat displays ataxia characterised by swaying of the whole body, crossing of the fore limbs and incoordinated movements when startled. Note also the occasionally wide-based posture of the hind limbs. The goats tends to drift to the left, which is most evident when she walks away from the camera.