Getting advice on bluetongue as part of your Animal Health & Welfare Pathway journey

Bluetongue is a disease that affects ruminants and camelids. Its cause is infection by the bluetongue virus which is mainly spread by biting midges. Clinical signs are not always present, but  the impacts on any farm where it gets a foothold can be severe.

There is no treatment for the disease, so prevention is the best defence. While there are important common principles to stick to there is no true ‘one size fits all’ approach to preventing bluetongue incursion. Just as every farm is unique, so is every farm’s defence against the disease.

That means a farmer getting up to date advice on the steps they need to take to prevent bluetongue incursion is critical, and for cattle and sheep keepers the Pathway is there to help.

The ‘get funding to improve animal health and welfare’ service offers eligible keepers access to funded visits by a vet of their choice. Alongside access to testing for other key endemic disease and conditions, it’s also an opportunity to get advice from a vet on improving the health and welfare of livestock.

There is no ‘tick box’ for what this conversation needs to be. The farmer and vet decide based on the circumstances on each farm. That means the conversation could include a focus on bluetongue, covering topics like:

• Understanding what bluetongue means for the farm: the risks and impacts on a farm will vary with different mixes of breeds and farming systems. If a farm focusses on finishing cattle then the considerations will be very different from upland sheep grazers. A vet can help a farmer work through this. 
• What to look out for: vets can advise on all the clinical signs of the disease so it can be spotted early.
• Learning about the risk in the local area: vets understand what is happening across different farms and can advise on the local risks, helping farmers to plan accordingly.
• The appropriate approach to vaccination: there are three different vaccines which reduce the clinical impact of the disease. Understanding which one to use, and when to use it, is critical and something a vet can advise on.

Don’t forget to report any vaccination activity 

Defra’s Secretary of State has permitted the use of 3 unauthorised bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines within the United Kingdom, subject to licence. Vets should read the associated advisory note before prescribing any BTV-3 vaccine. These notes will advise vets what to report and how to report it. You can read more about this on GOV.UK. Just click this link.

These funded vet visits are also available to pig keepers. You can read more about the offer, who is eligible and how to apply on GOV.UK. You just need to click this link.

Even though we are currently in a seasonal period where bluetongue vector transmission is likely to be very low, the warmer months are fast approaching and the risk of transmission will increase.

That means now is a great time for farmers to make sure they’ve got all the information they need to prevent incursion.

The support available through the Pathway is just part of a wide range of resources available to farmers. The GOV.UK bluetongue collection has a wide range of regularly updated information, including:

• Guidance on spotting and reporting the disease
• Guidance on current disease control rules
• Details of the most recently reported infections
• A bluetongue zone map showing all the places in the country where controls are currently in place

To access the collection click this link. The Ruminant Health and Welfare also have a range of supporting materials that you can access by clicking this link. 

And don’t forget – bluetongue is a notifiable disease. That means if you do not report it you’re breaking the law, so if you suspect it you must report it immediately by calling:

• 03000 200 301 in England
• 03003 038 268 in Wales 
• Your local Field Services Office in Scotland. Click here for details on how to find the right office.