Mon, 01 Dec 2025

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 Greek sheep and goat cull raises fears of feta cheese shortage

Livestock is being culled across the country due to an infectious disease outbreak.
Sheep and Goat Culling Continues in Greece, Impacting Feta Cheese Production Over 417,000 sheep and goats have been culled in Greece due to an outbreak of infectious disease, with more than 1,700 cases reported. The country's famous feta cheese production may be affected as 80% of Greek sheep and goat's milk is used for making feta. Farmers Speak Out Anastasia Siourtou, a veterinarian and owner of a farm in Thessaly, says that her herd was culled after a case of sheep and goat pox was detected. She believes that the disease may have been spread from another nearby farm that hid cases. Losing her animals has resulted in financial ruin for Siourtou. Other farmers, such as Tassos Manakas, are also struggling to cope with the loss of their livestock. "The shop is closed," he says bitterly, referring to his now-empty dairy. Government Response Criticized The Greek government's response to the outbreak has been criticized by farmers and experts. A National Scientific Committee for the Management and Control of Sheep and Goat Pox was established in late October, 14 months after the first case was detected. However, critics say that the state veterinary service is understaffed and that no lockdown zones were established in areas where the first cases were recorded. Vaccination Debate Farmers are calling for mass vaccination of their herds, which they say is how the problem is tackled in Bulgaria and Turkey. However, the Greek government says that mass vaccination could lead to Greece being classified as an endemic country for the disease, resulting in restrictions on the export of sheep and goat's milk. Impact on Feta Cheese Production The culling of over 417,000 sheep and goats may impact feta cheese production, which relies heavily on sheep and goat's milk. The Greek government is working to mitigate the effects of the outbreak and ensure that feta cheese production continues uninterrupted.
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