Short-Term Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Spanish Small Ruminant Flocks

Abstract

The human pandemic COVID-19 has rapidly spread around the world, leading to extreme control measures such as population confinement and industries activity closure, including tourism and restauration. Although small ruminants are not sanitary a ected, this situation might cause a negative economic impact on Spanish flocks. The data analyses provided by producers and slaughterhouses in the initial 60 days after COVID-19’s pandemic declaration, showed that while the dairy goat flocks su ered a substantial drop in milk prices, this impact was not seen in sheep milk, which remained almost stable. A price drop for lambs or goat kids was also reported. These data are in agreement with the unexpected drop of lambs and goat kids’ sacrifices in April, as reported by some slaughterhouses. We registered a short-term negative economic impact on Spanish small ruminant’s flocks after COVID-19’s pandemic declaration in the country. The long-term economic consequences still need to be studied to establish contingency plans for this type of sanitary crisis.