The outbreak of sheep/goat pox in the province of Granada has the Ministry of Agriculture, Pedro Fernández, more than a little worried.

A total of 14,000 animals have been locked up on their farms

When asked if his ministry intended to supply aid to the struggling livestock farmers he said that this situation came under the Junta de Andalucía’s responsibility but added that he was in “permanent contact with the Andalusia Board of Agriculture.

This animal disease fizzled out in Spain in 1965 (and most of Europe) but now it is back and much more virulent than before.

Although there are approximately 160,000 goats and sheep in Huescar and Baza, some farmers have lost all their animals and with them, their livelihood. It took two solid days for veterinary surgeons to put down one farmer’s herd of 950 and around 300 of them were with lamb (pregnant). He couldn’t even take them to a slaughter house to be put down because of the risk of infection — it had to be done on the farm.

But he has not only lost his animals, but his means of earning a living. The relevant administrations will pay compensation but that might be a long way down the road .So what does he live on now. The farm has to be shut down for six months — longer if a neighbour’s herd becomes infected.

For a harrowing read, click on this link to Mercedes Navarro’s piece on this particular farmer’s plight. https://bit.ly/3z9whMu.

(News: Baza, Altiplano, Granada, Andalucia)