NSA encourages vet engagement after bluetongue vaccine approval in Scotland
2nd May 2025
Scottish approval of the Bluetongue vaccine is reassuring for the sheep industry, says the Scottish Region of the NSA.
However, the sheep farming organisation is stating that there are several important caveats that must be understood around vaccine supply, vaccine claims, and reporting vaccinated animals.
NSA Scottish Region Chair Peter Myles says it is inevitable that Scotland had to fall in line with England and approve the bluetongue virus (BTV) vaccines, adding that it was ‘reassuring’ the option to vaccinate was now in the toolbox.
Mr Myles says: “Understand the challenges around bluetongue vaccine supply and the vaccine claims is important. Vaccinating will not protect livestock totally, but it should suppress symptoms and prevent death and major financial impacts.
“It is remarkably difficult to predict disease progress as the Culicoides midge is so weather dependent. Regardless of how our summer is affected we now know the Royal Highland Show has already taken the decision to deny animals access to the event from the restricted zone.”
NSA Scottish Region stresses the following points for sheep farmers to be aware of:
1 Go through your vet
Deciding whether to vaccinate should be done with veterinary oversight, considering your flock’s risk, vaccination options, and an understanding of the implications of vaccinating and not vaccinating. The use of vaccines in Scotland is non-compulsory, and is the responsibility of individual businesses.
A wealth of information is available from the Ruminant Health and Welfare Group, the founding body behind the Battle Bluetongue campaign.
2 Manage your expectations
There are three permitted BTV vaccines (Syzavul BTV3, BLUEVAC-3, and Bultavo-3) with claims that vary, but generally they claim to reduce the disease rather than prevent it totally.
Vaccinated animals may still become infectious or infected, but clinical signs and mortality are reduced.
Costs vary according to supplier, product, and timing, but members have quoted costs within the £2.40-£5 a dose range.
3 Order early
Vaccine availability challenges mean farmers should expect to wait several weeks before delivery. Those businesses wishing to vaccinate should put in an order now, as this will help show the level of interest in the UK and can be used by the sheep industry to persuade companies to export enough to the UK.
4 Assess risk
A useful calculator has been developed by AHDB to show the return on investment of vaccinating against BTV as well as a decision maker tool produced by Ruminant Health and Welfare to help flockmasters decide the risk and reward of investing in BTV vaccination.
The tool takes the farmer through several factors, including farm location, expected value of stock, stock density, stock movements, breeding stage of males and females.
5 Report vaccine use
Any livestock administered with any of the three BTV-3 vaccines in Scotland must be recorded through a ScotEID system. This is not just identifying the farm, but individual animals. NSA Scottish Region understands a tick box inventory of a holding’s animals will be presented to select each animal that has been vaccinated.
The recording facility is expected to become live on Monday 5th May.
Vaccine use for animals that are not livestock should be reported on the gov.uk website used by England and Wales.
