Farmers who own bovine and ovine farms located in the bluetongue disease-free zone in Galicia can request voluntary vaccination against this ailment, by virtue of the authorization granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), after the corresponding request by the Xunta. The vaccine will be distributed free of charge by the Ministry of Rural Affairs to private veterinary personnel authorized for its administration.
The free zone of this virus in our community corresponds to the province of A Coruña and the rest of the veterinary districts of the province of Lugo not previously included in the restricted area, it is decided, that of A Mariña Central, Oriental and Occidental, Terra Cha-Castro, Terra Cha-Vilalba, Terra Cha-Guitiriz, Meira, Lugo, A Ulloa, Os Ancares and A Fonsagrada.
It is necessary to remember, in this sense, that as a result of the official declaration of the detected foci of bluetongue in February 2023, the provinces of Ourense and Pontevedra, as well as the veterinary regions of Chantada, Sarria and Terra de Lemos-Quiroga, in the province of Lugo, they were included within the restricted areas against this ailment in Spain. Thus, mandatory vaccination of all cattle and sheep over three months located in this area was established, being an essential requirement for the movement of livestock of these species. Vaccination is now extended -on a voluntary basis- to the rest of the Galician territory considered as a disease-free zone.
The request made by the Rural Environment to the MAPA was made to increase the protection of Galician cattle, since the main route of transmission of the bluetongue virus is the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Culicoides, and that these vectors are present throughout the territory of the autonomous community in summer. It is also considered that vaccination is the most effective tool for the protection of animals and the control of the spread of the disease.
2023-07-20 12:12:00
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