As part of the management of lumpy skin disease, the Calvados prefect wishes to share information in complete transparency on subjects raising numerous questions, which are relayed in particular by agricultural union organizations: today, the prefecture returns to the transport of bovine corpses from a source of contamination to a rendering center located in Orne, which the local press recently reported on.
What happened on the Saint-Langis site (Orne)?
On December 16, the ATEMAX rendering site located in Saint-Langis-lès-Mortagne (61) received 4 trucks carrying 88 tonnes of cattle carcasses from farms in Ariège, slaughtered on December 12 after the detection of a case of DNC.
This factory specializes in the treatment of animal corpses affected by epidemics, such as recently avian flu.
Is there a risk of contamination during transport?
→ NO: transport and processing were carried out in strict compliance with the health protocol in force, namely:
• On the departure site: after disinfection, the bovine carcasses and transport vehicles are systematically disinsectionated, several times, according to supervised procedures carried out by State services;
• The skips used for transport are approved, closed throughout the journey, and waterproof; they are unloaded at the factory.
Is there a risk of contamination at the rendering site?
→ NON :
• Upon receipt of the vehicles, the ATEMAX company immediately incinerates the animals, remembering that rendering is a strictly regulated activity;
• The carcasses do not present a health risk: biting flies and horseflies are not attracted to dead animals, since these insects only feed on living animals (warm-blooded, releasing CO2).
In addition, no outbreak appeared around the rendering centers which treated the shedding of bovine corpses in a similar manner, such as the Etreux factory, in Aisne, which treated animals contaminated by DNC from Savoie and Haute-Savoie.
Is the ATEMAX installation in Saint-Langis controlled?
→ OUI
• This site is included in the State services control plan (directorate responsible for protecting the populations of Orne – DDETSPP61);
• This is a rendering center that has been listed for many years, whose health safety procedures have proven themselves for other highly contagious diseases, such as avian flu, without rebound contamination having ever been observed;
• Carcass destruction and processing operations are strictly regulated by European and national regulations. These procedures do not increase the spread of the disease: on the contrary, they constitute an essential lever to prevent any contamination and control the circulation of the virus.