Hungary: Authorities confirm plague of small ruminants in Zala County
After the outbreak of small ruminant plague in Szentgyörgyvölgy on January 24, 2025, suspicions of the disease have arisen in new settlements in Zala County, Nagymétnekpuszta and Lenti. The epidemiological investigation is still ongoing, in which the Nébih Priority Affairs Directorate has also been involved at the instruction of the national chief veterinarian. Based on the information so far, the disease could have entered the herds from the Szentgyörgyvölgy farm through personal movement or through the transport of hay. However, during the epidemiological investigation, the animal keepers only informed the authorities about the transport of feed late, which is why veterinarians arriving at the scene found animals showing symptoms on both farms.
The greatest role in the spread of the disease is played by direct and indirect contact between live animals, so there is a particularly high risk of live animal trade, animal transport, and infectious objects. Already sick animals can excrete extremely large amounts of virus, which further increases the risk of spread.
Nébih draws the attention of animal keepers to the importance of complying with the rules, and at the same time asks for the cooperation of all interested economic actors in the early eradication of the disease and the prevention of its spread. It is important that animal keepers report immediately if they notice symptoms of the disease in their animals or if they have had any contact with the affected farms.
The direct and indirect economic damage of the pest of small ruminants epidemic can be enormous. It can be mitigated and the lifting of domestic and international restrictions can only be achieved by strictly adhering to the prescribed animal health measures!
Following its successful showcase of the Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb, and Specially Selected Pork br...
The average calving interval for beef dams in Wales was 420 days in 2024, according to the l...
Dovecote Park, a family-owned business renowned for producing premium British beef, veal, and ven...
