French farmers are protesting the Mercosur trade deal and a livestock disease called lumpy skin disease, which affects cattle with painful nodules and fever. Laura Darnat, a French horse breeder and chicken farmer in Perigueux, spoke to FRANCE 24 about the farmers’ demands. They want cows vaccinated against lumpy skin disease, measures to prevent avian flu, and isolation of infected animals rather than culling. “We’ve received false promises, and until we have something concrete on the table, we will stay in place,” the farmer said.

French farmers are protesting the systematic cull of cattle as herds face the spread of nodular dermatitis, or lumpy skin disease. The disease is classified as a category-A disease by the EU's animal health law, which implies that if one cow gets stick, the entire herd must be killed. FRANCE 24's Solange Mougin looks into the contested measures.

France said on Monday the lumpy skin disease affecting cattle is under control in the country even as farmers continue a second week of protests against the government's handling of the virus by blocking highways with tractors and dumping manure. Lumpy skin disease is a virus spread by insects that affects cattle and buffalo, causing blisters and reducing milk production. While not harmful to humans, it often results in trade restrictions and severe economic losses.