Cynthia Ezegwu
Spanish authorities have announced the culling of infected cattle following the country’s first outbreak of lumpy skin disease, a highly contagious viral infection affecting livestock.
The outbreak was detected at a dairy farm in Girona province, near the French border, after several cows showed symptoms, the regional government said on Saturday.
Lumpy skin disease, transmitted through insect bites, is common in North Africa and causes skin blisters and reduced milk production in cattle. While harmless to humans, it poses serious economic risks and often leads to trade restrictions.
Catalonia’s agriculture department said a surveillance zone covering up to 50 kilometres around the affected farm has been established, with inspections scheduled every 48 to 72 hours. Movement of animals in the area will be restricted, and vaccination of surrounding livestock has begun.
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Authorities confirmed that 123 animals at the affected farm are being culled to contain the outbreak. “Farms that have to cull animals receive compensation,” Catalonia’s regional agriculture minister, Oscar Ordeig, told Catalan public television, describing the situation as “complex and serious.”
French authorities have also set up a surveillance zone along the border with Spain to prevent cross-border transmission of the disease.