Hundreds of Dead Spanish Cows Due to Contagious Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease

In Spain, hundreds of cows have died in recent weeks from the epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). This contagious cattle fever is related to bluetongue, a viral disease in livestock that has been spreading across Spain for months. It also affects wild animals, especially deer and roe deer.

In recent days, new outbreaks have been detected in cows on two farms in Galicia, reports the news agency Europa Press. To prevent further spread, the Ministry of Agriculture has imposed restrictions on the transport of farm animals in nearly all provinces.

According to the ministry, EHD is not transmitted to humans and does not affect the quality of cow meat and milk, but it does cause significant losses for farmers who must cull infected livestock. There is no approved vaccine for EHD in Europe.

The virus is transmitted by biting midges. It mainly occurs during dry periods, when water sources nearly dry up and warm reservoirs form. An agricultural engineer said in El País that currently about thirty dead animals are collected daily. ‘It’s like Covid, it affects each animal differently. We have never seen anything like this before.’

EHD is common in America and has been circulating for years in North Africa. The first case in Spain was recorded in November last year. Experts say that livestock will develop immunity after the initial wave, as with any new viral disease. According to data from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, the mortality rate did not exceed 4% last summer.