Encamp Checks 900+ Sheep for Brucellosis in Livestock Health Drive
Encamp parish launched a two-day ovine sanitation campaign, registering 904 subsidized sheep for veterinary screening. The drive supports grazing to combat forest overgrowth, preserve meadows, and lower fire risks in Andorra's mountains.
Key Points
- 904 sheep checked on first day at Cortals d'Encamp, up 7% from last year.
- Event targets brucellosis detection with government vets to protect flocks.
- Supports herders via grazing subsidies for biodiversity and forest clearing.
- Aims to reduce wildfire risks, restore pastures, and sustain livestock farming.
Over 900 sheep underwent health checks on the first day of Encamp parish's joint ovine sanitation campaign at Cortals d'Encamp. The two-day event, coordinated by the parish council with government Agriculture Department veterinarians, targets brucellosis detection to protect local flocks.
Organized from Friday to Saturday, the drive simplifies coordination for herders and vets by centralizing screenings. It follows the model of existing bovine roundups and forms part of broader support for livestock farming amid falling herd numbers. Local leaders, including Minor Consul Xavier Fernàndez, Hygiene, Environment and Agriculture Councillor Andreu Riba, and General Syndic Carles Ensenyat, joined the launch as herders assembled their animals.
A total of 904 sheep qualified for grazing-related subsidies, up 7% from last year. These funds back herders clearing forest undergrowth and promoting high-mountain meadow biodiversity by following cattle trails. Parish staff, or banders, handled logistics, ending the day with a shared meal.
The campaign advances last year's initiatives to bolster ovine and bovine sectors, essential for territory management. Encamp plans to prioritize Cortals in future forest works, aiming to thin underbrush, restore pastures, open new grazing areas, and curb woodland spread that squeezes open land and raises fire dangers.
Through combined grazing and forestry efforts, the parish seeks to safeguard open spaces, enhance biodiversity, sustain herding, and reduce wildfire threats in the mountains.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story:
- Altaveu•
Més de 900 ovelles controlades a la primera jornada conjunta de sanejament de bestiar oví d'Encamp
- Diari d'Andorra•
Més de 900 ovelles passen els controls sanitaris als Cortals d’Encamp
- El Periòdic•
Prop de 900 es ‘concentren’ als Cortals d’Encamp per fer els primers controls sanitaris conjunts del bestiar oví