Brief encounters with Bluetongue

Up to and until the summer of 2006 Bluetongue was something we all read about but took little notice of as it was only active in areas distant to our shores. Over the past five years several of the different serotypes have been found from southern Europe to Norway and Sweden. The most pathogenic BTV8 strain of the virus made only a brief late summer visit to the south east of Britain in 2007 and has now retreated back to the Mediterranean coast. Once the focus was turned onto the Bluetongue virus and the midges that carry it we soon realised that the vector was found further north than had at first been realised and that it could readily over winter in animal buildings as well as pass the virus onto the next generation of midges.

Brought in Virus

At its peak in 2008 there were 4,500 outbreaks of Bluetongue reported in Europe. We were fortunate that the virus was carried here by winds late in the summer of 2007 when the midge numbers had already peaked. There is little evidence that the virus was able to over winter in the UK and many of the 125 infected premises declared by March 2008 were under restrictions because of infected animals imported from Europe. All of the new cases in 2008 were discovered as a result of post import testing of cattle and sheep. The last case was declared on the 18^th December 2008 bringing the total number of infected premises to 149.

Fading Virus

Blood samples taken from cattle and sheep in the past three years have failed to find any evidence that the virus is active in the UK. Last June we were declared to be a Lower Risk Zone for BTV-8 virus this year we are officially free of the virus. In 2010 there were only 120 outbreaks reported for all of the different serotypes in the whole of Europe and most of those have been in Spain, Sardinia and Italy. It is difficult to know if this is the end of the Bluetongue story in Europe. The problem is now that we are declared free of the virus it is not now permissible to use the available stock of vaccine because of EEC regulations and cattle and sheep can now readily come into the country from other European Countries. Imported animals are inspected, but they are only blood tested when they are in the country if DEFRA feels that there is a risk of them carrying the infection.

Redundant Vaccine

I can see no reason why concerned owners should not be permitted to use the Bluetongue vaccine on valuable stock if they wanted to do so as there is still a lot that we do not understand about this virus. It would be better if cattle and sheep could only be imported from regions where the virus has been active in the winter months. Also there are animals that are sent into Europe. We have been asked to organise the export of a small number of Goats to Italy. Because of the change of regulations it will not now be possible to vaccinate them before they go so they will be vulnerable to the disease when they arrive. Now the only safe way is for them to travel early next year so that they can be vaccinated in Italy before the midges start to get active.

Political Delays

There has been a great deal of disappointment that after the elections for the new Welsh Assembly the proposed badger cull in Pembrokeshire has been postponed yet again so that the scientific evidence can be reviewed. This has greatly upset Christine Glossop the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales and members of the Welsh NFU. It seems strange that after the costs of winning the challenge to the original policy in the courts they want a further delay as there have been no new publications on tuberculosis in badgers or cattle recently. They can only go over the same ground so it is difficult to understand how they will come to a different conclusion to what has been found so many times before. This problem is not going to go away when there are so many infected badgers about. There are humane ways of controlling wild animals. It would be far better if they were able to show how they will go about the task as further delays will only make it more difficult to make any significant progress.

Further Spread

Meanwhile in Cumbria there has been disappointment as it has been reported that a hundred cattle have been slaughtered on one farm because of a tuberculosis outbreak. Up until recently there had been few cases in the north west of England and none on such a large scale. It was hoped that prompt decisive action would halt the progress of the disease, but now it has been found that a cow has reacted on an adjoining farm and the official spokesmen are finding it difficult to deny that the infection has become established in the “wildlife” in the area.

New BSE Rules

On 1^st July the age from which healthy cattle slaughtered for human consumption must be tested for BSE in England will rise from four years to six years. Testing of slaughtered cattle and fallen stock is carried out to monitor the levels of BSE. As BSE has almost disappeared, the testing of healthy slaughtered cattle is no longer needed at the younger age. BSE will continue to be monitored effectively by testing BSE suspects, fallen cattle and emergency slaughtered cattle. The key method of protecting food safety is the removal of specified risk material such as brain and spinal cord from carcases which continues to be obligatory. The Food Standards Agency advises the risk to food safety will remain extremely low.  

 Disappearing Wormers

Intervet have announced that it has stopped making Panacur 2.5%. This was the original fenbendazole sheep wormer that has been used for decades to treat sheep parasites. They are still supplying the SC version that contains selenium and cobalt as an added supplement, but most farms do not need the added minerals. Those that do get better results if they inject the mineral to the ones that need it rather than treating the whole flock. It is wrong that this drug company is encouraging you to buy something added to their product that you do not really need.

Getting your Rams ready to work

During June some farms were short of grass although things are improving now. This might have implications for the fertility of your rams if they were short of fodder last month. It takes seven weeks or more for the sperm produced by your rams to mature so you will need to get them onto better grazing now to maximise next years lamb crop. It does no harm to feel the testicles, they should be firm and even and the storage part at the bottom, the epididiymis should be hard and not soft. Reject rams that have small testicles or are not sound on their feet as they will not be able to work to their full potential.  Mineral supplements are not necessary in the summer as they can lead to bladder stones that are difficult to deal with.

Return to Newsletters