Table 2 Signs at the pre-cull examination in BSE cases confirmed on postmortem diagnosis in study 1 and grouped by the occurrence/severity of vacuolar changes in the brainstem

Behaviour

Nervous or apprehensive in corridor

15/21 (71.4%)

5/9 (55.6%)

0.431

Nervous or head shy in crush

11/21 (52.4%)

2/9 (22.2%)

0.229

Crush refused or entered reluctantly

5/21 (23.8%)

2/9 (22.2%)

1.000

Obstacle refused or not approached

3/18 (16.7%)

1/9 (11.1%)

1.000

Kicked out - free

3/21 (14.3%)

0/9 (0%)

0.535

Yawning

3/21 (14.3%)

1/9 (11.1%)

1.000

Vocal - free

1/21 (4.8%)

1/9 (11.1%)

0.517

Teeth grinding

1/21 (4.8%)

0/9 (0%)

1.000

Sensation

Clipboard test abnormal ≥1

14/18 (77.8%)

1/6 (16.7%)

0.015**

Over-reactivity to sound ≥1

14/21 (66.7%)

2/9 (22.2%)

0.046*

Flinch/startle free once

13/21 (61.9%)

3/9 (33.3%)

0.236

Tests of over-reactivity abnormal once/2 tests

13/21 (61.9%)

1/9 (11.1%)

0.017**

Flinch or startle free more than once

12/21 (57.1%)

2/9 (22.2%)

0.118

Head tests - nervous

12/21 (57.1%)

0/9 (0%)

0.004***

Clipboard test abnormal >2

9/18 (50.0%)

0/6 (0%)

0.052

Flash test abnormal ≥1

10/20 (50.0%)

0/8 (0%)

0.025*

Tests of over-reactivity abnormal x3/2 tests

8/21 (38.1%)

0/9 (0%)

0.067

Head restraint - nervous

1/21 (4.8%)

0/9 (0%)

1.000

Over-reactivity to sound >2

7/21 (33.3%)

2/9 (22.2%)

0.681

Exaggerated menace response

5/16 (31.3%)

0/9 (0%)

0.286

Flash test abnormal >2

4/20 (20.0%)

0/8 (0%)

0.295

Neck prick - nervous

8/21 (38.1%)

0/9 (0%)

1.000

Stick test abnormal

0/21 (0%)

0/9 (0%)

1.000

Movement

Ataxia or hypermetria

14/20 (70.0%)

2/9 (22.2%)

0.041*

Tremor

15/21 (71.4%)

4/9 (44.4%)

0.225