Farmers call for French lockdown to cull cows over disease

Angry French farmers are calling for more protests over the government-backed slaughter of cattle affected by so-called “lumpy skin disease” (LSD).

Clashes between riot police and demonstrators took place in southern Ariège province on Thursday after veterinarians were called in to destroy potentially contaminated cattle on the farm.

Elsewhere in the South, farmers dumped their waste outside government buildings and blocked roads. The offices of several environmental organizations in Charente-Maritime were ransacked.

LSD is a highly contagious disease of cattle spread primarily through fly bites. Symptoms include fever, mucus discharge, and skin nodules.

Although primarily non-fatal, it can severely impact milk production and render cows unmarketable.

The disease was introduced to Europe from Africa about a decade ago. France’s first outbreak occurred in the Alps in June, when infected cattle forced people to Tour de France shortens one of its stages.

The government’s policy of slaughtering an entire herd of infected animals has been strongly opposed by two of the three main farmers’ unions.

The Countryside Alliance and Pessana Union said the policy was cruel and in any case unnecessary, as a combination of selective culling and vaccination would be enough.

But most veterinarians disagree.

Stephanie Philizot, head of the SNGTV veterinary union, said: “Currently we cannot differentiate between healthy animals and asymptomatic animals carrying the virus. This is the only reason why we have to do whole-herd slaughter.”

There have been around 110 LSD outbreaks in France since June, initially in the east but now increasingly in the southwest. Ministry officials blamed the illegal transport of cattle from the affected areas. About 3,000 animals were slaughtered.

The French government fears the protests could snowball into a broader movement among the agricultural population, who feel increasingly threatened by EU norms and foreign competition.

Massive protests are planned in Brussels next week during a summit of EU leaders. Several agricultural sectors in France are in deep crisis, from winegrowers hit by falling consumption to poultry farmers hit by bird flu.

There is also widespread opposition to the EU’s imminent free trade agreement with South American countries, which farmers fear will allow France to import cheaper food, much of it produced under looser environmental and health restrictions.