• The bulls of French origin were refused by the Algerian authorities because of an administrative imbroglio on their vaccination.

  • For fear of contamination with foot-and-mouth disease in the port of Algiers, they will be slaughtered on their return to France and removed from the consumer circuit.

  • The NGO for the defense of farm animals Welfarm. casts doubt on the version of the French authorities.

Nearly 800 bulls left Sète by boat and stranded in the port of Algiers for more than two weeks will be repatriated and slaughtered in France, after an imbroglio over their health status with the Algerian authorities.

Two days after the departure of the livestock vessel from the port of Hérault on September 3, these cattle were prohibited from landing in Algeria.

In question, a "difficulty of interpretation" on the health status of three animals, explains the ministry.



These healthy bulls had been vaccinated against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR).

However, documents attached to their export certificate bore the words "IBR positive" - ​​falsely suggesting that they were carriers of the virus.

Despite a clarification provided by France, Algeria refused them entry into the territory "for regulatory reasons".

"There was no breach of the French authorities on the export certificate", which allowed their departure from Sète, however assures the ministry.

Risk of foot-and-mouth disease

Following "unfruitful discussions", France decided to bring the boat back, and to slaughter these 780 animals: they had, in fact, "been fed with Algerian hay" when they were stationed, fodder from from a country where another animal disease - foot and mouth disease - is present.

The risk of contamination is "extremely minimal, but we cannot rule it out", details the government, which wishes to avoid the introduction of this disease on European soil.

The return of the boat should take place “by the end of the week”.

The cattle will be examined by veterinarians, and will not be “returned to the circuit of human consumption” once slaughtered.

"We doubt that the problem comes from a risk of contamination due to foot-and-mouth disease: we believe that there was a risk of infection on board with the IBR disease", declared Adrienne Bonnet, representative of the NGO of defense of Welfarm farmed animals.

The Welfarm association denounces the conditions of animal transport

Since Tuesday, the association has accused the authorities of having “approved this transport of animals in defiance of health requirements”, and ensures that around thirty of them died at the dock.

“We have no information which would indicate a particular problem” on the state of health of the animals, affirmed the ministry, which specifies that the boat is approved and “has been the subject of an inspection at the start of Sète by our services”.

The association also denounced the departure of cattle on a "garbage cargo", "in operation for forty-five years".

According to her, checks carried out in March had revealed “16 safety failures” on this ship.

"The scandals keep repeating themselves, showing the shortcomings of the European regulation on the transport of live animals", estimates the NGO, which campaigns for its ban on destination countries outside the EU.

1.5 million live cattle exported each year

France is the leading European beef producer and exports 1.5 million live cattle every year.

It does not plan to ban their transport, but indicates that on the occasion of a revision of European legislative texts on animal protection in 2023, “discussions may take place to discuss regulatory changes”.

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