Farmers urged to be vigilant for bluetongue

Livestock farmers – particularly those on the Kent and Sussex coast – are being encouraged to talk to their vet about vaccinating their animals against bluetongue this year. In an updated assessment of the risk of serotype 8 of the bluetongue virus (BTV-8) entering the UK this year, Defra says that, while the risk is currently low, it will change as the summer progresses. BTV-8 re-emerged in France in 2015, having been undetected in mainland Europe for five years. By May 5 this year, more than 2300 cases of BTV-8 had been detected in France. Most cases have been found in the centre of the country but, recently, a case was detected in the Nord departement of northern France. Nigel Gibbens, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said that robust disease surveillance procedures were in place and that Defra was carefully monitoring the situation in France: ‘Our latest...
Source: Veterinary Record - Category: Veterinary Research Tags: News section Source Type: research