Bluetongue: Chief veterinary officer urges farmers in the UK to remain vigilant

Published 2024년 7월 19일

Tridge summary

The UK's chief veterinary officer has called on farmers to remain alert for bluetongue virus (BTV-3) as cases increase in Europe, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Free testing is available for animals from high-risk areas in Britain. While there are no active cases in England, warmer weather heightens the risk of transmission through biting midges. Farmers should monitor their animals for symptoms and register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), which stresses the importance of ongoing surveillance and reporting any suspicions to prevent an outbreak.

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Original content

The UK’s chief veterinary officer has urged farmers to remain vigilant for bluetongue virus as Europe sees an increase in BTV-3 cases. There has been an uptick in cases in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, with some animals showing severe clinical signs. British farmers are being reminded by Defra that free testing is now available for animals moving from the highest risk counties to live elsewhere in Britain, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex. Last November, APHA and the Pirbright Institute identified the first case of the disease in Britain through the annual bluetongue surveillance programme. Bluetongue virus is primarily transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep and camelids such as llamas. The impacts on susceptible animals can vary greatly – some show no clinical signs or effects at all while for others it can cause productivity issues such as reduced milk yield, while in the most severe cases can be fatal for infected animals. The ...

Source: FarmingUK