The closure of slaughterhouses throughout Thessaly was decided by the region as part of measures to prevent the transmission of the plague to sheep and goats.

They will remain closed until July 27, when animal checks are expected to be completed.

Given the occurrence of confirmed cases of Plague of Small Ruminants in farms of P.E. TRIKALON and P.E. LARISSAS, the no. RO-PR-2024 notification to the European Commission’s ADIS system from Romania, for the occurrence of disease outbreaks in the Tulcea region of Romania and to prevent the transmission of the disease and to protect the livestock of
we decide to take the following measures:

1. Movements of animals

  • It is prohibited for any reason (slaughter, fattening, breeding) to move goats, sheep and lambs throughout the Region of Thessaly until the epidemiological investigation of the disease is completed and a new decision is issued.
  • It is forbidden to slaughter goats, sheep and lambs in the slaughterhouses of Thessaly until Friday, July 27.
  • The entry into Thessaly of goats, sheep and lambs of Romanian origin is prohibited for any reason.
  • A Decision is taken to isolate all the sheep and goat fattening farms of the Region of Thessaly until the completion of the epidemiological investigation of the disease and for at least 21 days. In addition, a Decision is taken to isolate cattle farms that coexist with fattening sheep and goat farms, have the same staff and use common vehicles and equipment.
  • The movement (slaughter, fattening or breeding) of cattle from and to the P.E. is prohibited for any reason. TRIKALON and the P.E. LARISA, until the completion of the epidemiological and clinical investigation of the disease within the protection and surveillance zones and the determination of their extent.
  • The movement of pigs from intensive holdings that observe biosecurity measures is allowed to all SLAUGHTERHOUSES, except slaughterhouses that are part of the protection and surveillance zone (ELASSONAS FARM SLAUGHTERHOUSE: S41).
  • Only animals (pigs and cattle) from the protection and surveillance zone of the P.E. Larisa.
  • In the slaughterhouse with the name TRIKALON Slaughterhouse: S142, only animals (pigs and cattle) from the protection and surveillance zone of the P.E. Trikala on a day/days to be determined in writing by the Trikala Veterinary Sub-Directorate. On the remaining days and after a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the premises, animals can be slaughtered from holdings located outside the protection and surveillance zone, but exclusively of the P.E. Trikala.

2. Movements of raw goat milk and dairy products

In relation to raw milk to limit the spread of plague of small ruminants and the questions that have arisen, the following are highlighted:
The prohibited zone includes the following zones:
1. Protection
2. Surveillance
3. Further prohibited
According to Regulation 2020/687 Annex VII, as amended
applies, mitigating the risk from raw milk from the restricted zone for
the plague of small ruminants can be done by the following methods
Processing:

  1. UHT (ultra high temperature) heat treatment: at least 132°C for at least 1 second,
  2. HTST pasteurization heat treatment (high temperature short-term pasteurization), if the pH of the milk is a) lower than 7, at least 72°C for a minimum period of 15 seconds, b) 7 or higher than 7, at least 72°C for a minimum period 15 seconds, twice.

See here in detail all the measures of the Region to prevent the transmission of the plague