BSE threat to bullfighting

The world of bullfighting may be turned upside down

There is mounting concern in Spain over the possible effects of the EU's BSE regulations on one of the country's most potent national symbols - bullfighting.

The matter has been raised in parliament as officials try to figure out whether rules introduced to combat the mad cow disease crisis might prohibit the killing of bulls in the ring.

The matter centres on how the bull is finished off at the end of the fight.

The impact of BSE is being felt across Europe

The matador thrusts his sword into the animal's shoulders, penetrating the lungs, and, when it falls to the ground, a second bullfighter stabs it in the back of the neck to break the spinal cord.

Both of these methods, however, may be affected by a European Commission ban on a method of killing cows known as "pitting".

A department of the Interior Ministry has issued a statement saying that traditional bullfighting techniques are not covered by the European regulations, as the cuts are clean and no spinal cord tissue is exposed.

But some observers point out that the bullfighters quite often make a botched job of their kills.

Vets say risk is small

The Madrid government has yet to make an official comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, Spain's General Council of Veterinary Colleges has issued a statement stressing the unique character of animals reared for bullfighting, in an attempt to downplay any possibility of their being infected by BSE.

Meat from bulls killed in fights is usually sold by local butchers in the days after the spectacle.

The vets say the bulls are given vegetable-based fodder, which, they say, minimizes the risk of mad cow disease.

They are also concerned that the insistence that BSE tests be carried out on all animals over 30 months old would mean heavy losses for the sector.

Now, both the vets' body and parliament are calling on the government to take steps to clarify what exactly the new restrictions mean for bullfighting.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.