BLUETONGUE, the viral disease spread by midges that can be fatal in sheep and cattle, has yet to make a reappearance in the UK this year, but the next few weeks are critical.
Vaccination is underway in most of England and it was announced yesterday that Merial, a leading European animal health company, is in the process of delivering 15 million additional doses for farmers in England and Wales.
Graham Davenport, of M
erial, said: "Recent outbreaks in France are a reminder that there is no room for complacency. We have been working with the action group against bluetongue and strongly advocate that farmers act on its advice: 'Don't hesitate, vaccinate'."
The Scottish Government has taken the view that vaccination is not necessary, at least until the incubation period of the midge vector is passed. That would mean October at the earliest. Scotland's cooler climate is seen as a hindrance to the spread of bluetongue.
But that has the potential to leave Scottish beef cattle finishers in a quandary. Should vaccination in England reach Cumbria and Northumbria in the next few weeks, then there will be movement restrictions on cross-Border trade, albeit from the south to the north.
The considered opinion of NFU Scotland and the livestock industry is that, provided there are no incidences of bluetongue, it would be sensible to suspend vaccination.
The full article contains 229 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
