Greek sheep farmers devastated by sheeppox outbreak as flocks culled

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/573...-flocks-culled

Greek sheep farmers devastated by sheeppox outbreak as flocks culled
7:21 pm on 22 September 2025
By Lefteris Papadimas and Alexandros Avramidis, Reuters

Greek sheep farmers are in despair in central Greece as sheeppox destroys their flocks, while the Greek authorities are warning of a possible nationwide ban on the movement of animals.

The outbreak of the highly infectious virus in the country is threatening to drive up food prices and affect the production of feta, Greece's famous crumbly cheese.

Giorgos Tasioulis, fighting back tears, stands in front of his empty sheep sheds.

"Our unit... is now back to zero, our family is back to zero," the 45-year-old father of three says. Just weeks earlier, all 900 of his sheep were culled and buried only metres from his farm in Kileler municipality, central Greece.

Tasioulis had invested nearly €2 million (NZ$4 million) since 2020 to modernise his breeding unit. Now it is silent.

Across Thessaly, Greece's agricultural heartland, sheeppox is wiping out flocks. More than 260,000 sheep and goats - roughly 2 percent of the national herd - have been culled in the last 12 months, forcing 1100 farms to shut down, based on government figures.

Kileler was hit hardest, with 40,000 animals gone and 80 breeding units closed since July...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy...eaches-kilkis/

Sheep pox reaches Kilkis
Newsroom
16.10.2025 • 16:30

Cases of sheep pox have been detected on two farms in Kilkis, marking the first appearance of the highly contagious viral disease in the northern regional unit.

According to local authorities, two farmers in the village of Agios Petros recently reported a possible outbreak to the veterinary service. Laboratory tests later confirmed the presence of the disease...

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Why is Greece at risk of losing its "PDO feta"?

Over 312,000 animal culls, fears of lockdown and a threat of a reduction in exports of our national product due to sheeppox. Vaccination or eradication of the virus? Experts speak to LiFO about what is really at stake.

Yannis PantazopoulosYannis Pantazopoulos
16.10.2025 | 07:01

THE BLESSING OF SHEEP seems to have now escaped nationwide, causing a serious blow to Greek livestock farming . According to official data from the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, more than 312,000 animals have already been killed, while the spread of the virus continues at an alarming rate. Many experts believe that the necessary measures were not taken in time, which contributed to the outbreak of the disease. In the face of the current critical situation, the public debate revolves around the dilemma between vaccination and the complete eradication of the virus. At the same time, the possibility of imposing a temporary lockdown on livestock farming is even being considered, in order to limit the spread of smallpox.

At the same time, livestock farmers across the country are expressing their indignation and preparing for protests, as they are faced with suffocating financial pressures and a lack of liquidity, while also having to cope with strict measures to combat the disease. However, beyond the financial losses, there is also intense emotional and psychological stress, as many are forced to proceed with the mass slaughter of their animals. In fact, in several areas of the country, improvised “animal cemeteries” have been created, which intensifies concerns about the possible consequences for health and the environment.

"Vaccination against sheep and goat pox, with current data, cannot be supported by valid scientific data regarding effectiveness and ensuring animal health, while it would be practically unfeasible and economically disastrous."

It is indicative, however, that the choice of vaccination has provoked strong reactions. As officials of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food point out, such a decision would directly endanger the exports of feta, a PDO product with a value of over 1 billion euros per year. For 2024 alone, feta exports amounted to 785 million euros, to key foreign markets.

"The choice of vaccination is neither a scientifically documented nor a commercially viable solution," they emphasize, underlining that it poses serious risks for PDO feta and for Greek sheep and goat farming as a whole. "No EU country has implemented vaccination for smallpox. So why should Greece be the experimental animal? The risk is disproportionately greater than the benefit. Vaccination would be a forced political choice with enormous costs for livestock farmers, the economy and the country's international image."

According to the same executives, the fight against smallpox requires composure, scientific documentation and strategic foresight. “Vaccination is not a solution – it is a trap. Greece should not sacrifice its feta cheese and livestock farming in a dubious experiment. The only safe path is to continue the eradication strategy, with strict adherence to measures and decisive support for producers.”

"Smallpox is one of the most serious infectious diseases of sheep. It has increased transmissibility and is characterized by high morbidity and mortality for animals. Its above characteristics place it on the list of notifiable diseases, for which the European management strategy stipulates immediate eradication if they appear. It is not a zoonotic disease, therefore humans are not threatened by contact with animals or by the consumption of products derived from them, as long as the latter have undergone appropriate heat treatment," Athanasios Gelasakis , associate professor of Production Animal Diseases at the Agricultural University of Athens, points out in a statement to LiFO.

He continues: “However, the impact of declaring the country endemic could be devastating for the export of products produced from sheep meat and milk. The direct impact concerns the ban on the export of live animals and fresh sheep meat for the period that the country is considered endemic for smallpox. The indirect impact concerns possible restrictions and the great commercial pressures that feta and other dairy products produced from sheep milk will face as a whole. Although these products are produced from pasteurized milk, which makes them safe for the consumer and constitutes a strong safety valve to prevent the transmission of the virus to other areas, it is certain that strict additional measures, controls and guarantees will be required to prevent the virus from being moved through the dairy supply chain. Furthermore, it must be understood that the average consumer of animal products in the developed world, whose markets Greek dairy products are mainly aimed at, demands that these products be produced from healthy animals raised under satisfactory welfare conditions. Greece must remain committed to this requirement if feta wants to maintain its great export potential and the share it deserves in the international market.”

Let us recall that feta is a white cheese made from goat and sheep milk that is matured in brine and is one of the most recognizable products of Greek gastronomy. In 2002, it was definitively registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product after many years of procedures and appeals, mainly from Denmark and France.

In order for a cheese to bear the designation “PDO feta”, it must meet specific conditions. Firstly, its production must take place exclusively in mainland Greece and, from the islands, only in Lesvos. Secondly, the feta must be made from Greek pasteurized sheep and goat milk, with a proportion of at least 70% sheep and up to 30% goat. This milk comes from Greek breeds of sheep and goats that feed on the local flora of each region, mainly in free pastures.

Feta cheese is produced from October to mid-June, and the final product must contain at least 43% fat on a dry basis and a maximum moisture content of 55%. Finally, its maturation lasts at least two months and is traditionally done in wooden barrels or tin cans, a process that contributes significantly to its unique flavor and texture. If we focus on our country, 40,000 tons of feta cheese reach the tables of Greek households annually.

Regarding the issue of vaccination, Mr. Gelasakis emphasizes: "The decision to implement vaccination is not easy, and in any case, extensive active surveillance must be preceded before this possibility is evaluated. Waiting for the declaration of cases is not enough, while it proved ineffective in the case of smallpox. The mechanism for searching for cases in wider areas, even at the regional level, must be immediately operational, so that the next steps can be taken based on evidence from a comprehensive epidemiological survey of the spread of the disease.

Vaccination will place the country in an endemic state, as it will be impossible to differentiate vaccinated from infected animals in the laboratory, while questions are raised regarding the effectiveness of the vaccine, the duration of protection it provides and therefore its application protocols, its availability – specifically the immediate availability of millions of doses –, the possibility of its immediate, mass application, and the years that will be required for the country to return to a smallpox-free state. It is characteristic that in endemic countries where vaccination against smallpox is applied, there are still natural infections, epidemic outbreaks of the disease and mass deaths of animals.

At this stage, the alarming spread of the disease requires much broader active surveillance, strict adherence to biosecurity measures by livestock farmers and all those involved in the sheep farming sector, reassessment, revision of planning and tightening of controls and biosecurity and preparedness measures both against smallpox and against the other "exotic diseases" that are within our borders.

The declaration of endemic status will constitute an admission of failure to control a disease devastating to sheep farming, which will now have crossed borders and established itself in one of the European countries, which in turn will do whatever is necessary to avoid risking the wider spread of smallpox in its territory, with all that this entails for livestock production in our country.

We contacted the Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, George Arsenos , who focused on what they have long supported as a department: “These developments have been the subject of intense concern for the scientific staff of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, who have long been concerned with the health and welfare of animals, as well as the safety of products of animal origin that reach the tables of Greek and European consumers, such as feta cheese, which is an emblematic national product.” On the issue of vaccines, he added: “Vaccination against sheep and goat pox, with current data, cannot be supported by valid scientific data regarding the effectiveness and safeguarding of animal health, while it would be practically inapplicable and economically disastrous.”

https://www.lifo.gr/stiles/optiki-gonia/giati-i-ellada-kindyneyei-na-hasei-ti-feta-pop

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.tovima.com/society/greec...-pox-outbreak/

Greece Battles Expanding Sheep Pox Outbreak
27.11.2025 16:30
Newsroom

Greece is grappling with a rapidly escalating outbreak of sheep pox that has taken on alarming proportions, posing a severe threat to the country’s livestock sector. More than 420,000 animals have already been culled as authorities race to contain the disease.

According to updated data released by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and the National Scientific Committee for the Management and Control of Sheep Pox—based on reports from Veterinary Services—1,754 confirmed cases were recorded from Aug. 2024 to Nov. 23, 2025, affecting 2,192 farms nationwide.

In total, 423,125 animals have been euthanized under mandatory health protocols. The hardest-hit region is Larissa, with 239 cases across 343 farms, followed by Xanthi, Serres, Evros and Rodopi. Cases were also reported on farms in Achaia, Magnesia, and Aetolia-Acarnania with 95 cases.

The latest reporting week, Nov. 17–23, saw 52 new infections across 14 regional units. Aetolia-Acarnania recorded the highest weekly rise with 16 new cases, followed by Achaia, Ilia, and Serres with six each, while Rodopi reported four...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.tovima.com/society/over-...tpox-outbreak/

Over 433,000 Sheep Culled Amid Ongoing Goatpox Outbreak
05.12.2025
16:30

Greece reports 80 new goatpox cases in 17 regions, with strict biosecurity and controlled slaughter measures in place to contain the disease ahead of the holiday season, while authorities reassure consumers that goat and sheep meat remains safe

Greece continues to battle a widespread goatpox outbreak that has devastated the livestock sector since August 2024. According to the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and the National Scientific Committee for Goatpox Control, more than 433,000 goats and sheep have been culled as part of strict disease containment measures.
Recent Cases and Regional Spread

Between 24–30 November 2025, 80 new cases were confirmed across 17 regions, including Aetolia-Acarnania, Larissa, Xanthi, Serres, Evros, and Achaia. Larissa reported the highest cumulative cases with 244 infections, followed by Xanthi (207), Serres (172), Evros (164), and Achaia (160).

Overall, 1,834 confirmed cases have been recorded in 2,270 farms nationwide since the outbreak began, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing Greek farmers....

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.tovima.com/society/sheep...d-animals/amp/


Sheep and Goat Pox Outbreak Nears 500,000 Culled Animals
Greece’s sheep and goat pox outbreak continues to spread, with nearly half a million animals culled over 18 months and new cases recorded across multiple regions despite ongoing containment measures
23.01.2026 20:30


Greece’s ongoing sheep and goat pox outbreak has led to the culling of 472,928 animals over the past 18 months, according to official data released by the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food and the National Scientific Committee overseeing the disease response.

The figures cover the period from August 2024 to January 18, 2026, reflecting the scale of the measures taken to contain the highly contagious livestock disease.
Thousands of Farms Affected Nationwide

Authorities have so far confirmed 2,061 cases of sheep and goat pox across 2,559 livestock farms nationwide. In just eight days, from January 10 to January 18, 2026, 16 new cases were recorded in six different regions, indicating continued transmission.

The most recent cases were identified as follows:

Five in western Greece
Three each in two regions of southern Greece
Two in central Greece
Two in northern Greece
One in northeastern Greece..