Foot-and-mouth disease is plaguing the farms of Cyprus, with the infected units now amounting to 105 infected units, while as "F" revealed, it has now also hit the rare breeds.
These include 13 cattle units (2.8%), 89 sheep and goat units (8.1% adult sheep and goats), 3 pig farms (7%) in the Larnaca and Nicosia District.
In total, around 38,900 sheep and goats, 22,247 cattle and 16,500 pigs have been killed.
According to the information of the Veterinary Services, it is expected that other new cases will emerge. "We hope that it will not be much, as the virus began to decline and the vaccine worked."
The second phase of vaccination in sheep and goats has exceeded 62%, in cattle 75% of cattle, in pig farms the vaccinations in the infected zones of Nicosia and Larnaca have been completed and the second vaccination of pigs has already begun.
"Regarding the people's anxiety about the local breed and what will happen to the red cows and local breed sheep in Larnaca that tested positive for the foot-and-mouth disease virus, the decision for any derogation will be made on the basis of the provisions of the legislation, the documentation of the purebred of the animals in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and the percentage of these animals in the total population will be taken into account of the local breeds and the risk and benefit that will arise from a decision to preserve or kill them will be taken into account", it was underlined, with the aim of all this being done within the week, when decisions will be made.
