France will vaccinate more than 750,000 heads of cattle.

Livestock farmers' battle against the contagious nodular dermatosis (CLD) epidemic continues. In France, over 750,000 vaccinations have been administered to prevent new cases, as regulations require the culling of entire herds when a new outbreak is detected, a measure farmers oppose.

This Saturday, December 21, French military veterinarians joined a mass cattle vaccination campaign to contain the spread of the bovine nodular dermatosis outbreak in the southwest of the country.

Although France already had a stockpile of 500,000 vaccines, it received an additional 400,000 doses from the Netherlands. The French armed forces were responsible for transporting them to the south and administering some of them.

French and Belgian farmers oppose the mass culling of animals and therefore organized blockades and protests that coincided with the European Council meeting. They used the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with the measures taken to combat the disease and the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.

The spread of nodular dermatosis, a virus that affects cattle , has reignited anger among farmers who decry what they say is the prolonged decline of French agriculture caused by foreign competition and over-regulation.

French regulations require the culling of entire herds when a disease outbreak is detected, a measure some unions consider excessive and cruel. Since June, approximately 3,000 animals have been culled. Some farmer organizations argue that this policy is devastating farmers' livelihoods, exacerbating existing problems, such as the planned trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur.

What is contagious nodular dermatosis?

Farmers' concerns are well-founded. Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease caused by cattle pox (Capripoxvirus), which results in the formation of nodules on the skin and mucous membranes, fever, loss of appetite, and decreased milk production. It is typically transmitted by the bites of insects such as flies and mosquitoes , and although it does not affect humans, it causes significant economic losses.

Vaccination plan in Spain

The epidemic has also affected Spain, and the government will present to the European Commission an emergency vaccination plan for the regions of Aragon, Navarre, and the Basque Country, which border France. This was announced last Thursday by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.

Since October 24, no new outbreaks have been reported in Spain, and all 17 cases recorded to date are located in the province of Girona, almost all in the L'Alt Empordà region. Therefore, at the end of October, Spain expanded its vaccination program beyond the restricted area surrounding the outbreaks, including the new regions of Catalonia and Aragon.