Farmers block road in southern France to protest cattle culls

Farmers staged an overnight sit-in at a major roundabout in Auch, southwestern France, after an agricultural union called for nationwide protests against the culling of cattle affected by nodular dermatitis, commonly known as lumpy skin disease.

Farmers and local representatives are urging authorities to shift toward a strategy centred on vaccination, selective culling of infected animals and enhanced health monitoring. The protest comes amid broader economic strain in the agricultural sector, with producers reporting heightened anxiety as the disease spreads across parts of the southwest.