France says cattle future at risk as lumpy skin virus spreads

The future of France's livestock farming is under threat as the highly contagious lumpy skin disease sweeps through cattle farms for the first time in Western Europe, the farm minister said Friday as more cases were reported near the Spanish border.

Three outbreaks of the virus, which causes blisters and reduces milk production, have been found near the Spanish border this week. The disease does not pose a risk to humans but often leads to trade restrictions and severe economic losses.

The rise in outbreaks prompted France to ban exports of French cattle for 15 days, French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said as she travelled in the eastern Jura region, where a first case was recently detected.


"We are at a critical moment. It is essential we keep up our efforts to protect the French cattle herd," she said.

"Let's rise to the challenge together, as we have since last June, because the future of French livestock farming is truly at stake."

REBOUND IN OUTBREAKS

France reported a sharp drop in outbreaks in late August after a mass vaccination campaign, but cases have picked up again this month, spreading in the east and now to the southwest.

Cases have been found in three communes of the Pyrenees-Orientales in southwestern France - La Bastide, Oms, and Valmanya - this week, prompting a mandatory vaccination campaign in the surrounding area, the farm ministry said in a statement.

The affected villages are close together and about 30 kilometers from the Spanish border. Local authorities earlier this week had mentioned only a single outbreak in the region.

"We can imagine that there is a link with Spain but we are still investigating," Genevard told reporters.

France is already battling the bluetongue virus affecting sheep and bovines that has spread across Europe. So are Italy and Spain, also hit by lumpy skin disease for the first time this year.