Washington — No sign of mad cow disease was found in an animal that was singled out in preliminary screening last week, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday after a follow-up test.

Officials declined to provide any additional information about the animal. Test results on a second carcass that also was singled out as possibly being infected will not be available for several days.

“No further details such as what type of animal, where the animal came from or what lab did the (initial) testing would be disclosed,” he said.

The preliminary test last Friday was the first time in 8,587 such screenings that the results came up “inconclusive,” raising the possibility of a mad cow disease infection, since the screenings began June 1. The inconclusive test on a second carcass was announced Tuesday.

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