Bluetongue disease has already affected, at least, 279 cattle and sheep farms, especially in Évora and Beja, and caused the death of 1775 animals, according to data revealed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Bluetongue or foot-and-mouth disease is a notifiable disease, but, according to the Government, notifications have only arrived with information relating to livestock herds subject to sample collection.
The latest data available, reported on Monday, indicate that they have been accounted for 41 affected cattle farms, with 102 affected animals and no mortality. I don't marry two sheep, add up 238 holdings and 11.934 affected animals and 1775 dead.
By district, Évora stands out, with 90 affected farms, and Beja, with 76, followed by Setúbal (48) and Portalegre (20). Then Castelo Branco appears (eight), Santarém (eight), Aveiro (five), Vila Real (five), Lisbon (four), Bragança (three), Watch (three), Viana do Castelo (three), Leiria (two), Port (two), Coimbra (a) and Faro (a). Braga and Viseu are the only districts where there are no known farms affected by bluetongue.
These data concern the number of cattle farms confirmed positive for BTV-3, bluetongue serotype, detected, for the first time, in 13 of September. Bluetongue is an infectious viral disease, not transmissible to humans.
It is worth remembering that the issue of blue tongue was brought to public opinion by Lidador Notícias, last day 10 October, when he heard Miguel Madeira, vice-president of ACOS-Agricultores do Sul, which revealed that “we are facing a very serious problem”, adding that “with the wind currents and sand coming from North Africa, The mosquitoes that cause the disease were dragged away and in September this new variant of the virus was detected, which causes very high mortality rates.”, justified.
Also a sheep breeder in the municipality of Mértola, where Língua Azul “has already caused serious damage and mortality to animals”, maintaining that compared to last year “the mortality rate increased by more than 50%”, concluded.
The disease is mandatory to be declared and when confirmed, the farm is subject to kidnapping and is prevented from moving animals during 60 days, “which means that many creators are afraid to make these notifications, afraid of the consequences, and the number of affected farms and animals is lower than reality”, justified.
For Miguel Madeira, it is essential that the Government “change the laws, on the movement of animals or advances with compensation. There is already a vaccine for this new variant of the virus, but it came at prohibitive prices, a 3 euros in dose per animal”, finished.
The Baixo Alentejo Farmers Federation (Faabu) sent a letter to José Manuel Fernandes, where he revealed to the Minister of Agriculture his apprehension about the fact that “in Portugal and despite the seriousness of the situation, the Government has not yet expressed, any intention to support production to bear these losses and increased costs”, summarized.
In the letter, FAABA launched a public appeal to the Government to mitigate the effects of this new health crisis, “to be of elementary justice, equal treatment to that of our Spanish and French colleagues”, where the respective political administrations, took decisions in defense of sheep farming and the economy of the territories.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
