Angry French farmers are calling for more protests over the government-backed slaughter of cattle herds affected by so-called Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).
On Thursday there were clashes between riot police and demonstrators in the southern Ariège department, after vets were called to destroy potentially contaminated cattle at a farm.
Elsewhere in the south, farmers have dumped manure outside government buildings and blocked roads. The offices of several environmentalist groups were ransacked in the Charente-Maritime department.
LSD is a highly contagious bovine disease transmitted mainly by fly-bites. Symptoms include fever, mucal discharge, and skin nodules.
Though mainly non-fatal, LSD significantly affects milk production, rendering affected cows unsaleable. The disease, which arrived in Europe from Africa a decade ago, first hit France's Alps in June.
The government’s culling policy has been met with bitter resistance from two main farmers' unions, Conféderation Rurale and Conféderation Paysanne, who argue that selective culling and vaccination should be the way forward.
Vets largely disagree, citing the challenge of distinguishing between healthy and symptomless animals harboring the virus. There have been approximately 110 outbreaks in France, primarily in the south-west, leading to the slaughter of about 3,000 animals.
The situation is alarming for the government, which fears that the protests could deepen resentment among farmers facing increasing pressure from EU regulations and international competition.
A major protest is scheduled in Brussels next week coinciding with an EU leaders' summit, as various French farming sectors navigate crises amid the potential for increased imports under an impending EU free-trade agreement with South America.
