Madrid suspends Transhumance Festival due to outbreak of bluetongue disease
The city’s spectacular sheep herding festival is normally held on the penultimate weekend of October
The Community of Madrid has suspended this year’s ‘Fiesta de la Trashumancia’, which was scheduled to take place next Sunday October 20 in the streets of the Spanish capital.
The decision follows the detection of new outbreaks of bluetongue disease, a viral illness that affects ruminants such as sheep. The disease, also known as mouth sickness or sore-muzzle, poses a significant risk to livestock but does not affect humans.
Every year in October, thousands of sheep are led by their shepherds through Madrid’s city streets, which are closed off to traffic for the occasion, and people turn out in their droves to witness the remarkable spectacle.
The suspension of the 2024 event comes as a preventive measure after the discovery of new cases of serotypes 1 and 8 of the virus in different regions. While no cases have been reported in Madrid, the region has been declared a ‘suspended zone’ due to the heightened risk, according to sources from the regional government.
Madrid’s Directorate General of Agriculture, Livestock and Food has informed the city council that the event must be cancelled to prevent the spread of the disease.
Bluetongue is commonly transmitted by mosquitoes and mainly affects sheep, though it can also impact other ruminants. While the disease poses no danger to humans or animal products, it has a high mortality rate among infected livestock, causing serious economic consequences for farmers and livestock operations.
This year would have marked the 31st edition of the Transhumance Festival, a celebration that highlights the importance of traditional livestock farming in conserving biodiversity. Last year’s festival saw a flock of 1,100 Merino sheep, 100 lambs and 200 Retinta goats make their way through the streets of Madrid.
Image: Fiesta de la Transhumancia 2021, Emilia Picazo / Ayuntamiento de Madrid
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