Dromolaxia, Cyprus. A rare indigenous Cypriot sheep breed is at risk after antibodies for foot-and-mouth disease were detected in a flock, raising concerns that hundreds of animals may be culled under current measures.
Breeder fears loss of six-generation flock
Breeder Constantinos Mouskou told Cyprus Mail he fears his flock of 600 sheep could be destroyed by the Veterinary Services. He said his family has bred the same flock for six generations and that his father saved it during the 1974 war after it was trapped in Lysi, adding that he has kept it exactly as it was brought back.
Breed numbers and certification
Mouskou said the breed’s population totals around 1,100 animals, with his flock accounting for more than half. Addressing questions about purity, he said the animals are certified as purebred and supported through European programmes.
Concerns over genetic reserve and long-term survival
Mouskou said there is no longer a functioning genetic reserve for the breed, adding that a sperm or embryo bank no longer exists. Ouranios Tzamaloukas, an associate professor at the Cyprus University of Technology, told Cyprus Mail that even if some animals are spared, the number likely to remain would not be enough for the breed to continue.
EU rules and Veterinary Services position
Under EU Regulation 2020/687, member states may request exemptions from blanket culling for breeds of high genetic or cultural value, provided disease control is not compromised. Veterinary Services spokesperson Sotiria Georgiadou told Cyprus Mail that the animals tested “positive in an infected area” and said they cannot be protected under the law, referring to the EU exemption for rare breeds, and will be culled.
Alternative approach cited by expert
Tzamaloukas said vaccination and strict monitoring could be used instead, describing the flock as a “genetically unique indigenous breed with no evidence of interbreeding”. He said that, similarly to the Cyprus red cow, the herd could be vaccinated and allowed to recover with low mortality rates in adult animals while remaining under strict movement restrictions.
What approach do you think should be taken to protect this rare breed while meeting disease-control requirements?
