Russia faces widening cattle disease outbreak as diagnosis doubts emerge

Moscow — Cattle diseases identified by Russian authorities as pasteurellosis or rabies have spread across at least 10 regions, prompting quarantines and emergency measures, while farmers and scientists question the official diagnosis and large-scale culling orders, officials and industry sources said on Wednesday.

Authorities imposed a cattle quarantine in part of the Chuvashia region in the Volga area, more than 2,500 km (1,500 miles) west of Siberia’s Novosibirsk region, where a state of emergency has been declared following reported outbreaks.

The outbreaks have been reported in multiple regions, including areas bordering China, raising concerns about the geographic spread of the disease and potential cross-border implications.

Officials have responded with containment measures, including movement restrictions and livestock culls aimed at preventing further transmission. The scale of the response reflects concerns over the potential economic and agricultural impact.

Farmers and some scientists have raised concerns about the accuracy of the official diagnosis, questioning whether the diseases affecting cattle have been correctly identified as pasteurellosis or rabies.

They have pointed to inconsistencies in symptoms and the speed of transmission, according to industry sources, prompting calls for further investigation and independent verification.

A government commission has been dispatched to one of the affected regions to assess the situation, officials said, as authorities seek to contain the outbreak and address concerns raised by stakeholders.

Russia’s livestock sector plays a significant role in domestic food supply, and outbreaks of infectious diseases can disrupt production, trade and rural livelihoods.