The wildlife hypothesis best fits the data

Roger Morris, Massey University

Instead they say the most likely explanation is that the disease came from antelope imported into Britain in the 1970s.

The animals, which went to UK safari parks, suffered from a similar degenerative disease.

The New Zealand experts claim the remains of these animals must have been used at some point in feed, which was then given to cattle.

Professor Roger Morris of Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, said the evidence "very strongly favoured" the antelope theory.

More than 170,000 UK cattle have been diagnosed with BSE

He told the BBC: "I have some other hypotheses which are all wildlife origin theories and I have all the steps in the infection process...and I know that for African antelope every step in the sequence could have occurred."

The team used an advanced computer model to test possible theories to chart the spread of the disease.

"The wildlife hypothesis best fits the data," said Professor Morris.

Contaminated meat

BSE is the cattle equivalent of variant CJD (Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease) which is fatal in humans.

It is thought that vCJD can be contracted by eating meat contaminated with BSE, but the link has not been categorically proven.

According to latest figures, 90 people have died in the UK from definite or probable vCJD.

Another seven people are believed to be living with the disease.

Scandal

In the wake of the Phillips report into the handling of the BSE crisis, ministers pledged to do all in their power to prevent a repeat of the scandal.

Agriculture Minister Nick Brown acknowledged that the inquiry into the outbreak had identified "serious shortcomings" in the handling of the affair by previous Conservative governments.

Lord Phillips' 16-volume report, published last October, criticised ministers and civil servants for failing to be open about the possibility of BSE spreading to humans.