450,000 vaccines against sheep and goat pox have been secured from the European Union, and authorization for their use has been obtained. Next week, the Ministry of Agriculture will hold a meeting with livestock farmer representatives to agree on the next steps and the possibility of implementing livestock vaccination, Macedonian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy BorcheSerafimovski said Monday.
Responding to a reporter’s question regarding the sheep pox situation, the minister assessed that the situation is stabilizing and that, for the time being, the spread is limited to the eastern region.
“The eastern region is one of the hardest hit, yet fortunately, it remains the only area where the spread of the disease has been recorded so far. We have no new cases in other regions. According to information currently being received from the Food and Veterinary Agency, the numbers are stabilizing. Livestock farmers are adhering to all prescribed measures for livestock protection and care, specifically by isolating their flocks, which is leading to a reduction in the number of infected animals,” noted Serafimovski.
Asked about how many sheep have been culled so far due to the outbreak, the minister stated that the figure stands at approximately 10,000 animals.