Belarus restricts the import of sheep and goats from the Kostroma region of Russia due to smallpox

August 6, Minsk. Belarus restricts the import of sheep and goats from the Kostroma region of Russia due to smallpox. Such information is posted on the website of the Department of Veterinary and Food Supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, BelTA informs.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health, cases of sheep and goat pox have been registered in the region. In this regard, from August 4, temporary restrictions were imposed on the import to Belarus of slaughter, breeding and user sheep and goats, wild, zoo and circus small artiodactyls (goats, argali, fallow deer, tours, mouflons, ibexes, roe deer), milk from these regions and dairy products from these animals, leather, horn-hoofed, lambskin raw materials, wool, goat down, etc.

All previously issued permits for the import of these goods into Belarus from the Kostroma region are suspended.

The Department of Veterinary and Food Supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food informs about the need for additional control measures to ensure the biological protection of livestock facilities of all forms of ownership.

Smallpox of sheep and goats is a highly contagious, especially dangerous disease characterized by fever and the formation of papular-pustular lesions in the epithelium of the skin and mucous membranes. Smallpox affects sheep of all ages and breeds, especially fine-wooled sheep. Under natural conditions, sheep are more likely to become infected when healthy animals come into contact with sick ones. Among goats, animals of dairy and fine-fleeced breeds are most susceptible to the disease. If with a benign form of smallpox mortality does not exceed 2-3%, then with confluent and hemorrhagic it reaches 100%.