Spain culls cattle to contain lumpy skin disease

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Source: https://www.cp24.com/news/world/2025/10/06/spain-culls-cattle-to-contain-lumpy-skin-disease/

Spain culls cattle to contain lumpy skin disease
By AFP
Published: October 06, 2025 at 3:14PM EDT​

Spanish authorities on Monday announced a cull of animals infected in the country’s first outbreak of highly contagious lumpy skin disease, which has struck cattle on a farm.

The outbreak was detected at a dairy farm in Girona province near the border with France, after several cows showed symptoms, the regional government said Saturday.

Lumpy skin disease, a viral infection spread by insect bites, is common across North Africa. It causes blisters and reduces milk production in cattle.​..

 

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Source: https://en.ara.cat/economy/third-ou...tected-farm-in-alt-emporda_1_5522472.amp.html

A third outbreak of lumpy skin disease has been detected on a farm in Alt Empordà.
The Generalitat (Catalan Government) postpones the start of cattle vaccinations by one day, until Thursday, due to problems with the delivery of the vaccines.
Leandre Ibar Penaba​
2 min

BarcelonaThe Catalan government confirmed this Wednesday a third outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD, the disease that affects cattle) on a farm in Castelló d'Empúries. This brings the number of farms affected by the virus to three in Catalonia, all in the Alt Empordà region. Furthermore, the Catalan government's Department of Agriculture announced that it is postponing the start of animal vaccinations scheduled for this Wednesday by one day, until Thursday, due to problems with vaccine delivery.

The third outbreak was detected on a farm in the same municipality where the first cases were found, confirmed last week. The second outbreak occurred on a farm in Peralada, a neighboring municipality of Castelló d'Empúries.​..

 

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Translation Google

Four new outbreaks of lumpy skin disease detected near the French border in Catalonia

François David
Published onTuesday, October 21, 2025 at 3:47 p.m.

More than 1,500 cows have already been slaughtered in the Figueres region, and the epidemic continues to spread despite the emergency vaccination campaign. This Tuesday, four new outbreaks were confirmed. Farmers are denouncing the slow response.

The lumpy skin disease epidemic continues to spread in northern Catalonia. This Tuesday, the Catalan Ministry of Agriculture confirmed four new outbreaks of the disease in the Alt Empordà region, near the French border. These new cases have led to the slaughter of 590 additional cows, as anger mounts among livestock farmers.

A fulminating epidemic

It all started at the beginning of October, on a dairy farm in Castelló d'Empúries, between Figueres and Roses, about twenty kilometers from France. A first case, then a second, then a third... In the space of three weeks, 14 farms were affected and more than 1,500 cows have already had to be slaughtered in the region of Figueres.

Despite an emergency vaccination campaign launched as soon as the first slaughters were carried out, the disease continues to spread. Every week, new outbreaks appear in this agricultural area located just south of the French Albères and Vallespir mountain ranges.

Breeders denounce “too slow” management

Faced with the increasing number of cases, the main Catalan agricultural union, Unió de Pagesos, denounced the slowness and lack of anticipation of the authorities. At a press conference Tuesday morning, its representatives pointed to a late start to the vaccination campaign—six days after the first cases—and repeated supply disruptions.

According to their estimates, barely 90 cows are vaccinated each day , while around 90,000 animals are still waiting for their injection within a 50 km radius of the first outbreak. At this rate, it would take three years to vaccinate the entire herd...

The government strengthens the system

Under pressure, the Catalan Ministry of Agriculture claims to have increased its resources on the ground. Sixty veterinarians are now mobilized to monitor herds and administer vaccines. Catalan authorities say they are aiming for a 75% vaccination coverage rate in the coming days, a threshold considered essential to stop the spread of the virus.

https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/agr...e-la-frontiere-francaise-en-catalogne-2238280