The situation in livestock farms has become extremely difficult, as the strict restrictive measures to stop foot-and-mouth disease impose the complete confinement of animals inside the facilities.
The ban on any movement outside the units is universal, in order to eliminate the risk of spreading the virus in case an animal is positive, which would have disastrous consequences for the industry.
However, the recent heavy rainfall has dramatically worsened living conditions, turning many properties into mud swamps. Despite the urgent need of livestock farmers to take the animals outside, even temporarily, so that they can clean and disinfect their premises, the regulations remain unyielding. Producers are in despair, as they are trapped between the effort to protect public health and the inability to ensure basic hygiene conditions for their herd in the mud.
At the same time, the Veterinary Services announced yesterday the complete completion of the killings in all infected livestock units that had been identified throughout Cyprus. With the killing of the animals and in the last outbreak in Livadia, the number of units where the strict containment protocols were applied amounted to a total of 49.
The province of Larnaca has been at the epicenter of the epidemic since February 19, 2026 with 46 infected units, while the remaining 3 were detected in the province of Nicosia. The last operation was completed yesterday in Livadia and concerned an illegal cattle estate. Despite the difficulties and tension that occurred in the previous days, with the typical incident where a farmer hid animals (109 were found instead of the 30 declared), the authorities managed to enforce the law.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, all the killings in Nicosia and Larnaca have now been completed, while no new cases have been recorded in the last 24 hours. It is also important that the reaction speed has stabilized, with the killings being carried out within 48 hours of the confirmation of the case.
Until March 27, the death toll was heavy, reaching 30,000. Specifically, 28,516 sheep and goats and 1,910 cattle were led to slaughter. Essentially, 41 of the 2,288 (1.79%) sheep and goat units operating throughout Cyprus or 5.7% of the total number of animals have been infected with foot-and-mouth disease. Respectively, 7 out of 373 (1.87%) cow units have been infected, while the percentage of the total animal population reaches 2.2%. These statistics do not include the illegal cattle unit in Livadia.
At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Veterinary Services are sending a clear message of zero tolerance for illegalities. Cases of hiding animals or illegal movements in violation of the decrees are already being investigated by the Police.
As officially emphasized, those breeders who obstruct the work of the authorities or keep undeclared animals are automatically excluded from any kind of compensation. On the contrary, for law-abiding livestock breeders, the payments of advances for the loss of income and the destruction of materials continue normally.
Failure to comply with the provisions of the Decree constitutes a violation of the Animal Health Laws. In accordance with Article 13B of the Animal Health Law of 2001 (109(I)/2001), as amended from time to time, measures may be imposed, including the imposition of an administrative fine of up to €5,000.
Furthermore, the provisions and prohibitions relating to the movement of breeding animals, the grazing of breeding animals, the movement of feed and veterinary medicines, the grazing of breeding animals, visits to holdings or places where breeding animals are exposed to the public in affected zones continue to apply.
It is noted that the animals cannot find outside the units for grazing because there is a risk of spreading the virus in case they are positive.
It is noted that the competent Authority determines by decision the zones where the restrictive measures for foot-and-mouth disease apply.
Along with the slaughters, the vaccination program is progressing at an intensive pace to protect healthy livestock: Cattle: 98% (1st dose) / 37.6% (2nd dose). Sheep and goats: 76% (1st dose) / 10.6% (2nd dose).
The authorities are calling for full compliance, stressing that the cooperation of livestock farmers is the only way to a faster return to normality.
