Around 3,000 animals found to have foot-and-mouth disease on farms in the Republic of Cyprus over the summer are to be slaughtered, it has been announced.
The animals are on farms in the villages of Avgorou, Dromolaxia, Alethriko, Aradippou and Pentakomo, according to Alithia newspaper.
Veterinary Services director Christodoulos Pipis said yesterday that culling of the infected animals would begin in the coming days, and that farmers whose animals are slaughtered will be subject to the measures applied in the previous culling procedure.
Mr Pipis said livestock farmers would receive compensation for both the animals and for milk, and would be added to the list of affected farmers.
He said the cases were not new, but had not been officially announced at the time, adding that the Veterinary Services preferred to consult the European Commission first before making the cases public.