For the first time in its history, France's premier agricultural exhibition in Paris will not feature cows due to an outbreak of lumpy skin disease sweeping the nation. The decision, announced by the International Agriculture Show's organizers on Tuesday, comes as fears of contamination grew among animal owners and officials.
The event, typically attended by around 600,000 people, including children who have never seen farm animals before, has long featured cattle from across Europe as a major draw. However, this year will be different. According to SIA Chairman Jérôme Despey, the decision was made after "serious consideration" and was a result of growing concerns over the spread of lumpy skin disease.
The disease, caused by biting insects, can cause fever, painful skin lumps, and weaken animals, reducing milk output. With over 100 outbreaks detected in France, mostly near the Alps and southwest, the risk to other livestock became too great for some farmers to ignore. "We took the decision last night that there would be no cattle at the international farm show 2026," Despey said.
While other animals such as pigs, sheep, horses, dogs, and cats will still be present, many are expecting a significant change in the way the event is run. Some have criticized the government's handling of the virus, including culling affected herds, while others have joined protests in Paris last week.
Despite opposition to the policy from some farmers' groups, France's main union FNSEA has backed the government's stance. The organizers had hoped that the protests would not extend to their event, which attracts high-profile politicians every year.
"We have no problem with debate but we do with fighting," SIA Director Arnaud Lemoine said. In light of this, the cow used as a mascot for the show will be replaced by other animals.
The event, typically attended by around 600,000 people, including children who have never seen farm animals before, has long featured cattle from across Europe as a major draw. However, this year will be different. According to SIA Chairman Jérôme Despey, the decision was made after "serious consideration" and was a result of growing concerns over the spread of lumpy skin disease.
The disease, caused by biting insects, can cause fever, painful skin lumps, and weaken animals, reducing milk output. With over 100 outbreaks detected in France, mostly near the Alps and southwest, the risk to other livestock became too great for some farmers to ignore. "We took the decision last night that there would be no cattle at the international farm show 2026," Despey said.
While other animals such as pigs, sheep, horses, dogs, and cats will still be present, many are expecting a significant change in the way the event is run. Some have criticized the government's handling of the virus, including culling affected herds, while others have joined protests in Paris last week.
Despite opposition to the policy from some farmers' groups, France's main union FNSEA has backed the government's stance. The organizers had hoped that the protests would not extend to their event, which attracts high-profile politicians every year.
"We have no problem with debate but we do with fighting," SIA Director Arnaud Lemoine said. In light of this, the cow used as a mascot for the show will be replaced by other animals.
...no cows at the Paris expo? like what's next? no pigs or sheep either? it's just so ridiculous. i mean, i get that lumpy skin disease is a problem, but do we really need to abandon the whole farm thing just yet? 
it's not like they're gonna let people touch the cows anyway...i can see how it could spread, but is this really necessary? and what about all the farmers who rely on these expos for business? i'm sure some ppl are gonna freak out about the change...it's just one big inconvenience 
anyway i think its a good decision tho, lumpy skin disease sounds super nasty and we don't wanna risk infecting other animals 
hope the farmers are doing okay though, this outbreak is no joke 
I think this is a great opportunity to talk about the importance of prioritizing animal welfare 
. I mean, we're all about the cows at first, but then what happens? The whole country's in trouble with lumpy skin disease and people are like "oh no what about our cows?" But what if we take care of them instead of putting up a show for our entertainment? 
It's not just about cows though, it's about the farmers who have to deal with this every day, they deserve better 
. This is a wake-up call for us all to think about where our food comes from and how we can make things better 
And honestly, I'm a bit worried about the long-term effects on livestock and farming practices... will this be the start of bigger changes or just a one-time measure? We'll see. Maybe they can make up for it by bringing in more interactive animal exhibits or something 
. But I guess safety first, right? The lumpy skin disease thing sounds pretty bad for animals 
. Hope the farmers and organizers can figure out how to make the event still awesome without the cows 
. Maybe they'll have some cool animal exhibits that don't involve livestock 
. And I hope all those protests in Paris didn't disrupt too much, because 600k people are gonna miss out on the farm show fun 
.
can u imagine paris with out cows 
hope it doesnt spread 2 other countries 
I get why they'd want to protect their livestock and prevent further spread of the disease.
Every year it feels like a big part of French culture. Maybe this is an opportunity for them to get creative with the other animals on display? 
It'll be interesting to see how they adapt the event without the cows, but I'm sure it'll still be a hit with the public 
... it was like a mini safari or something! Anyway, I think it's a bit of a shame they're not going to have the cows this year. It's gonna be weird seeing all the other animals taking their place. But I guess safety comes first and all that 
I know some farmers are upset but like come on, animal welfare first 
it's not worth risking the health of all those other animals 
and now they're just gonna have to deal with a bunch of protests 
FNSEA is totally with the gov tho so that's a plus 
can't wait to see what they change at the show this year 
[Cow without milk, just a sad face](https://i.imgur.com/pZdWm0v.png)
[Darth Vader with a cow onesie](https://i.imgur.com/MfR1XcQ.png)
I'm kinda surprised they're not taking it more drastic like actually banning all live animal exhibits 
But at the same time, I get why they're making this move 
. Can't have animals getting sick & dying just to satisfy our curiosity 
. I'm curious to see how they'll adjust the event for 2026 
I think it's actually kinda cool that they're taking precautions and not wanting to risk spreading the disease 
. Those cows are like, super important for France's agriculture scene