There will be no cows at Europe's largest agricultural show in Paris this year for the first time ever after an outbreak of lumpy skin disease in France sparked fears of contamination, organisers said on Tuesday.
The 500 to 600 cattle usually present at the International Agriculture Show are a major attraction at the annual event, which draws about 600,000 people, including children who have never seen some of the farm animals before.
"We took the decision last night that there would be no cattle at the international farm show 2026," SIA Chairman Jérôme Despey told reporters.
"This is a historic decision that has saddened us," he added, stressing that the show would still feature many other animals including pigs, sheep, horses, dogs and cats.
Read moreWhy is Paris’s annual agriculture show such a big deal in France?
Lumpy skin disease, mainly spread by biting insects, causes fever and painful skin lumps, weakens animals and reduces milk output. There have been more than 100 outbreaks detected in France, mostly near the Alps and in southwestern France.
The farm ministry said the disease was under control in France thanks to vaccination. Still, some farmers want to avoid taking any risk while others want to express their solidarity with affected farmers, Despey said.
Some French farmers have criticised the government's handling of the virus, which has involved culling all animals in a contaminated herd. Opposition to the policy was one of the reasons behind farmer-led protests in Paris last week.
Read moreFrench government calls farmers' protest ‘illegal’ as tractors blockade Paris landmarks
France's main farmers' union FNSEA, which was staging a protest in Paris on Tuesday, backs the government's policy.
The organisers were hoping the protests would not extend to the show, which attracts top politicians every year.
"We have no problem with debate but we do with fighting," SIA Director Arnaud Lemoine said.
The cow used as a mascot for the show will be replaced by other animals, he said.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
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