The Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food has announced new measures to deal with sheep pox.
After the implementation of the ten-day restrictive measures, with the aim of preventing the spread of sheep pox and with data on the new confirmed cases throughout the territory, following the recommendation of the General Directorate of Veterinary Medicine of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, they are valid from 1/11/2024 to 8/11/2024, the following measures:
- The provisions on protection zones, surveillance and further prohibited zones, as defined in Reg. 687/2020, in the Commission’s Executive Decisions, as well as in the relevant circulars, as amended and in force each time, apply.
- All movements of goats and sheep within the Greek territory, for the purpose of fattening and reproduction, are prohibited.
Movements of sheep and goats from summer pastures are permitted under the following conditions:
Sheep and goats have not been moved from the shipping stable for at least 30 days prior to movement.
A clinical examination is carried out on the animals by official veterinarians (of the YPAAT, supervised entities and Regions), within 24 hours before the movement.
Sheep and goats shall remain in stables at the place of destination for at least 30 days after movement. During this period, clinical surveillance of the animals is carried out by official veterinarians.
After their arrival, sheep and goats are managed in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to the epizootic disease of small ruminant plague and the epizootic disease of sheep pox in the area of each stable establishment.
- Movements of sheep and goats for slaughter are allowed only in the regional units that belong to regions of the country that are free of the disease, that is, in the regional units of the Regions of Attica, North Aegean, South Aegean, Ionian Islands, Crete, Western Greece, Epirus and Western Macedonia.
As pointed out in a relevant announcement, the movement of sheep and goats for slaughter is not allowed in the regional units belonging to the Regions of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Central Macedonia, Thessaly, Central Greece and Peloponnese.
For the movements to slaughter, the animals are slaughtered in slaughterhouses of the PE or in the slaughterhouses closest to the specific commercial operation, based on a risk analysis.
Slaughterhouse managers ensure strict adherence to hygiene rules and implementation of cleaning and disinfection programs (premises, equipment and vehicles).
Movements are carried out with the application of strict biosecurity measures (cleaning, disinfection of transport vehicle wheels, before loading, before unloading and after unloading animals, personal protection measures for drivers, etc.).
On 08/11/2024, the General Directorate of Veterinary Medicine and the competent veterinary authorities will reassess the epidemiological data of the epizootic and will define targeted actions to control and eradicate the disease.
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