Farmers on alert as Spain's first lumpy skin disease outbreak appears in Catalonia

Farmers across Catalonia are on high alert after the first case of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle in Spain was detected this weekend on a farm in Girona.

The disease, which affects cattle but does not transmit to humans, either through contact or by consuming animal products, is highly contagious among animals.

The outbreak detected on a farm in the Alt Empordà area led to the culling of 123 animals and to exhaustive controls in around 800 surrounding farms to prevent further spread. 

This is the first case detected in Spain, following 67 outbreaks in France and 47 in Italy, according to official data. 

The disease spreads through direct contact between animals, and also indirectly - very effectively - through insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, and horseflies, which can easily transmit the virus between nearby farms. 

"Impossible to stop the disease without vaccines"

To prevent further spread, the Catalan Agriculture Department announced on Sunday that it will begin vaccinating cattle in the affected area. 

The decision came after farmers’ unions and experts raised the alarm, accusing the government of poor planning and slow response. 

The announcement contrasts with earlier statements from agriculture minister Òscar Ordeig, who had said that the vaccine was “not authorized” by the European Union unless there were multiple outbreaks and the disease was out of control. 

Mariano Domingo, a professor of animal health at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), warned that the outbreak could spread with “relative ease” and described vaccination as “essential.” 

“The problem is that mosquitoes transmit the disease very easily, and the current climate conditions do not help limit the presence of insects on farms,” he said. 

“It is practically impossible to stop the disease if there is no immunity among animals,” he added. 

Farmers implement extra measures

Since the public announcement of the outbreak, farmers in Girona have been on edge, implementing “extra” measures to prevent the disease from reaching their farms. 

Many have restricted visits to essential personnel only, reinforced disinfection protocols for vehicles and workers, and stepped up cleaning and biosecurity efforts. 

“If we don’t act quickly, it could be a death sentence for farms in this area,” said Josep, a farmer near the affected zone. “Fighting this disease is very difficult,” he added. 

Farmers’ unions have called for urgent vaccination, border controls, and disinfection measures, as well as compensation that includes collateral damages suffered by farms.

Minister Ordeig defended himself against criticism that the government had not prepared adequately, calling it “absurd” to have bought vaccines when no cases had yet been declared in Spain.

The minister sought to send a message of “calm,” reassuring the public that the disease does not affect humans, but warning that it could become “a very serious economic problem” if not tackled swiftly.

“The outbreak was detected very quickly, which will allow us to avoid major damage,” he said.

"Many more cases will appear"

Despite this, farmers’ unions continue to warn that “many more cases” could appear in the coming days, as around 90,000 animals are potentially at risk within the affected radius.

To express their anger, farmers protested on Monday in front of the Agriculture Department’s offices in Figueres.

“We feel deceived. They didn’t take it seriously and they didn’t plan ahead,” one spokesperson said.

Farmers say they have been warning authorities for three months that the disease would “sooner or later” arrive, given its spread in France and the continued import of livestock across the border.