Madrid Cancels Sheep Herding Spectacle to Avoid Bluetongue Spread

MADRID (Reuters) – The Madrid regional government on Thursday cancelled the traditional annual herding of flocks of sheep through the centre of the Spanish capital scheduled for Sunday as a preventative measure against a new variant of the bluetongue disease.

Bluetongue, spread by insects, can be deadly for domestic ruminants such as sheep, cattle and goats. The disease is present in different areas of Spain and with different variants.

A new variant, BTV3, has been circulating in the Netherlands, northern Belgium and western Germany since last year, and has recently appeared in southwest Spain, Agriculture Ministry data show.

Although no cases of the new variant were spotted in the Madrid region, authorities cancelled the crossing as a precaution.

“We are in an area where we have to limit the concentration and movement of livestock,” a spokeperson for the agriculture department of the Madrid regional government told Reuters.

Once a year, sheep take to the streets of Madrid as part of the annual ‘Fiesta de la Trashumancia’ event, recognising the traditional routes used to herd livestock.

The eight-century tradition disappeared in the 19th century but was revived three decades ago, delighting locals and tourists alike.

Shepherds are allowed to herd their livestock towards southerly pastures for the winter through some of the busiest areas of the city, such as the Puerta del Sol square.

Several countries including France and the Netherlands have implemented vaccinations campaigns against the new variant.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Emma Pinedo; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)