Measures against sheep and Goat Pox in Plovdiv Region Extended

In connection with the extended measures ordered by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency to contain the spread of sheep and goat pox, the Plovdiv Regional Crisis Management Headquarters has instructed that epizootic commissions be convened in all municipalities where outbreaks have been identified.

By Friday at the latest, municipal teams should assess whether additional or alternative safety measures are needed, or whether the current restrictions should be extended by another 21 days. To date, nearly 100 outbreaks have been identified, of which 80 have already been eradicated. Livestock owners who refuse to have their animals tested are not eligible for compensation.

No new outbreaks have been reported in the region in the last five days. As of now, 94 outbreaks have been confirmed in Plovdiv Province, over 80 of which have already been dealt with. Approximately 9,000 animals have been affected. The hardest-hit municipalities are Rakovski, Maritsa, Rodopi, and Parvomay.

Ventsislav Chavdarov, Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Epizootic Commission in Rakovski:

“Out of the animals tested, 1,000 have returned positive samples, and 500 of them have already been culled. In many cases, the farmers themselves reported the symptoms, which were clear and indisputable. Given that there is also a livestock market operating within Rakovski Municipality, we have taken specific measures.”

Livestock farmer Nikolay Kolev from the village of Seltsi, near Sadovo, has so far managed to save his flock of around 100 sheep, but not without significant cost.

“I have 108 sheep—on paper, it’s 110. They took a sample on the 21st of last month, and by the 23rd, one sheep tested positive. I refused to allow them to cull the herd and am still looking after them myself. None of the animals have died or shown any symptoms. For the past 15 or 16 days, I’ve been feeding them with hay at the trough. The forage I had stored for the winter will probably be half gone in just 20–30 days. As far as I’ve heard, the measures are extended until the 25th. It’s a bad situation. I’ll need to borrow money from the state to buy more feed. The milk truck stopped coming 20 days ago. I can’t even sell my lambs for the Feast of the Assumption (Bogoroditsa).”

The farmer requested a second test and offered to deliver the sample himself to the laboratory, but his request was denied. He insists that for the past two to three months, none of his animals have been sick.