Over Half of Cattle Vaccinated Against Contagious Nodular Dermatitis in Southwest France, Says Agriculture Minister

On December 27, French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard announced significant progress in the vaccination campaign against contagious nodular dermatitis (DNC) affecting cattle in Southwest France. She revealed that over 50% of the approximately 750,000 at-risk bovines have already received the vaccine. The campaign focuses on regions including Ariège, Aude—where vaccination coverage has reached 60%—and Pyrénées-Orientales, which boasts full coverage.

Genevard praised the commitment of veterinarians, farmers, and agricultural services for their relentless work and urged retired veterinarians and veterinary students to join the ongoing efforts. The vaccination campaign aims to cover all cattle by the end of the year as part of the government's determined strategy to control the disease.

Despite vaccination progress, some new cases have emerged in vaccinated herds, which the minister attributed to the vaccine’s 21-day period required to develop immunity. The majority of vaccine doses are provided by the Dutch laboratory MSD, supporting the large-scale mobilization to protect France’s cattle population.

This campaign underscores the government's total mobilization and dedication to protecting animal health and supporting farmers amid the outbreak of this contagious disease.