A COMPULSORY bluetongue vaccination programme for Scotland will begin in November, as had been widely expected.
Scotland has so far remained free from bluetongue disease, but there were real concerns last week when it emerged that a Scottish pedigree breeder was in the process of importing cattle from France. Such was the furore among the livestock indust
ry that the farmer, who was acting legitimately, opted to leave the animals in England for the time being.
The vaccination process will cover almost seven million cattle and sheep and will clearly involve a lot of additional work for farmers and stock attendants. However, the Scottish Government has undertaken to provide the funding for half of the cost of the vaccine – up to £2.5 million – in the first year of vaccination.
Such is the nature of bluetongue that it seems probable that vaccination will be necessary for at least two years, and possibly longer, depending on the extent of the disease across the UK.
Richard Lochhead, the cabinet secretary for rural affairs, speaking after a meeting with industry stakeholders yesterday, said: "Scotland remains bluetongue-free, but there is a clear and present threat and we need to minimise the risk. That vaccination programme I am confirming is part of that process.
"The prevalence of the disease in England has highlighted the need for a proactive vaccination campaign to safeguard our livestock sector. The process will not begin before November. This will allow us to vaccinate in the midge-free period and also provide individual farmers with the time required to plan in a way which best suits their business needs."
Some cynical Scottish farmers have been heard to say the climate north of Hadrian's Wall is not conducive to the survival of the midge that transmits the bluetongue virus. They might do well to consider the fact that bluetongue, previously only found in southern Europe – principally in Greece and Italy – made the sudden leap to the Netherlands in the autumn of 2006 before arriving in England last September. The death rate in sheep can be as high as 30 per cent, and there is no compensation.
As of this week, bluetongue had been confirmed on 10,800 farms in France, 996 in Germany and 50 across Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. Single incidences have also been confirmed in Sweden and Hungary, though this latter case has been traced to an import from France.
A complication is that, while the BTV8 virus is the one most likely to threaten the UK, 255 farms in France have been found to have BTV1. The vaccine proposed for use in Scotland will not be effective against this new variant.
Charles Milne, chief veterinary officer in Scotland, said: "Vaccinating over the winter months when the lack of midges dramatically reduces the risk of disease circulation allows animals to develop immunity without exposure to significant risk. But vaccination against BTV8 only provides immunity for the most prevalent form of the virus currently in the UK. Livestock keepers, therefore, cannot become complacent and risk importing further serotypes of this disease."
Nigel Miller, vice-president of NFU Scotland, who is also a qualified vet, has worked closely with Milne and his staff in recent months. He said: "The road for Scottish producers to protect their livestock from the devastating effects of this disease have now been mapped out.
"We also agree with the Scottish Government's decision to make vaccination compulsory. The voluntary uptake of the vaccine in England, as revealed recently, has been disappointing."
Brian Simpson, of the Scottish Beef Cattle Association, added: "It is vital that we get behind this compulsory vaccination campaign. But it is now more important than ever that farmers remain vigilante and do not import from affected areas of Europe.
