Dairy farmers produce more milk worldwide.
According to a FAO forecast, global milk production is expected to increase by 1.0% in the year 2025. The biggest growth is expected in Asia, as reported by the ZMB.
In Belgium, authorities have confirmed the first case of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) with a known pathway of introduction.
In the province of Liege, Belgian authorities have detected a case of EHD in a cow, as reported by the Dutch animal health service. The cow was imported from France at the beginning of April, where EHD has spread rapidly in recent years.
According to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), EHD exhibits a similar course to Bluetongue disease, including symptoms like mucosal bleeding. The disease is also transmitted through biting midges. It affects both wild and domesticated ruminants such as deer and cattle.
While mortality in cattle is usually low, the FLI emphasizes that the disease can lead to significant production losses, especially on dairy farms.
Since 2025, Belgium has implemented mandatory vaccination against EHD, BTV3, and BTV8 for all sheep and cattle due to the likelihood of introduction from France.
For Germany, the FLI currently assesses the risk of the disease occurring as low. However, the situation is considered "noticeable" and should be monitored closely according to the Radar Bulletin.