What causes the 'Mad cow' disease in cattle?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) Meat and bone meal feed
· Mad cow disease, scientifically known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), is caused by infectious agents called prions.
· The disease was primarily spread in cattle through the practice of feeding them meat and bone meal made from the remains of infected animals.
· These prions are misfolded proteins that cause other normal proteins in the brain to misfold, leading to severe neurological damage.
Additional Information:
· Protozoa: Single-celled organisms that can cause diseases like malaria but are not responsible for Mad cow disease.
· Bacteria: While bacteria cause many diseases, Mad cow disease is not bacterial in origin but rather caused by prions.
· Prions: Unlike viruses or bacteria, prions do not contain genetic material and are extremely resistant to heat and disinfectants.