DA issues temporary ban on import of cattle, buffalo from France and Italy

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Sunday announced a temporary ban on the importation of live cattle and buffalo from France and Italy, following confirmed outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), a highly contagious disease which causes fever and distinctive skin nodules in infected animals. The DA said the ban also covered products and byproducts, including embryos and semen, as provided for in Memorandum Orders 43 and 44 signed on August 1, 2025. The import bans exempt hides that have been salt-treated, or subjected to ante- and post-mortem, meal and flour from blood, meat other than skeletal muscle or bones; casings, gelatine and collagen, tallow, hooves and horns; and milk and milk products subjected to pasteurization. “The import restriction will remain in effect until further notice, pending developments in containment and eradication efforts in the affected countries,” the advisory read. LSD is typically spread by blood-feeding insects such as flies, mosquitoes, and ...