The confirmation of a new outbreak of sheep and goat pox in Serbia has once again highlighted the importance of strict animal health controls in Europe. While the disease poses no direct risk to human health, it represents a serious threat to livestock, agricultural economies, and cross-border trade.
According to Serbian authorities, veterinary services confirmed an outbreak in the village of Nosoljin near Raška, leading to the compulsory culling of 127 animals (67 sheep and 60 lambs) in an effort to contain the virus. Officials stated that additional farms are being monitored for possible spread.
A Highly Contagious Livestock Disease
Sheep pox and goat pox are caused by capripoxviruses and are among the most economically damaging diseases affecting sheep and goats. Infected animals may suffer from:
- High fever
- Skin lesions
- Respiratory disease
- Reduced milk production
- Weight loss
- Death, particularly among young animals
The European Commission classifies sheep pox and goat pox as Category A diseases, meaning they require immediate eradication whenever detected because they are not normally present within the European Union. The virus can also survive for months in contaminated environments and wool, making control particularly difficult.
The Risk Is Economic as Well as Veterinary
Modern livestock production depends on confidence that imported animals are disease-free. Introducing infected animals into previously unaffected regions can trigger:
- Mass culling of entire flocks
- Movement restrictions
- Trade bans
- Financial losses for farmers
- Higher meat and dairy prices
Recent outbreaks elsewhere in Europe demonstrate how disruptive these diseases can become. Greece, for example, culled hundreds of thousands of sheep and goats during a prolonged sheeppox crisis and considered nationwide movement restrictions to prevent further spread.
Serbia’s Continuing Animal Health Challenges
The sheep pox outbreak follows Serbia’s ongoing struggle with African swine fever, another highly contagious livestock disease that has required extensive government intervention. Serbian authorities themselves have acknowledged the need for heightened vigilance against additional animal diseases affecting livestock.
The emergence of another serious livestock disease raises understandable concerns among veterinary authorities and trading partners about maintaining robust biosecurity.
Existing International Precautions
International concern over Serbian sheep pox is not new. Following outbreaks reported in 2025, the United Kingdom temporarily suspended imports of certain untreated sheep and goat products from Serbia as a safeguard measure while veterinary authorities assessed the situation. Such measures illustrate how seriously governments treat diseases capable of disrupting livestock industries.
Should Europe Stop Buying Serbian Sheep and Goats?
A blanket ban is ultimately a matter for veterinary authorities and regulators, who base decisions on surveillance data, outbreak locations, disease control measures, and international animal health standards.
However, the latest outbreak reinforces why importing live sheep and goats from affected regions requires exceptional caution. Robust veterinary inspections, quarantine procedures, movement controls, and compliance with EU animal health regulations are essential to minimise the risk of introducing highly contagious livestock diseases into unaffected areas.
Protecting Europe’s sheep and goat populations is not simply about safeguarding individual farms—it is about preserving food production, rural livelihoods, and the stability of the wider agricultural economy.
Facts:
Outbreak of Sheep and Goat Fever In Serbia
Serbia confirmed an outbreak of sheep and goat pox (often referred to as sheep and goat fever/bogies) in the village of Nosoljin within the Raška municipality, involving the culling of 127 animals (67 sheep and 60 lambs. Agriculture Minister Dragan Glamočić announced that the virus likely entered via illegal smuggling channels, though no evidence supports this.
Confirmed on July 26, 2026, on a single farm in Nosoljin, Raška. Authorities completed the humane euthanasia and safe disposal of all 127 exposed animals within 24 hours of laboratory confirmation by the Veterinary Specialist Institute Kraljevo.
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