Northern Ireland sheep sector awaits full trade details after BTV-3 confirmation

Clear communication across the UK and between vets and farmers is essential to manage Bluetongue virus (BTV) in Northern Ireland through vaccination and movement controls, says the National Sheep Association (NSA).

Details around Northern Irish trade and livestock movement restrictions are expected to emerge this week following the confirmation of a positive case of BTV-3 on farm to the east of Belfast.

All animals have been tested on the cattle farm near Bangor, returning 44 positive antibody and PCR tests. A 20km temporary control zone (TCZ) has been enforced to contain the virus.

NSA NI regional coordinator Ellen Moorehead says: “There are key lessons to learn from England and Wales in disseminating information, administering vaccines and understanding what virus restrictions mean for trading activity on your farm. It’s important to stress that bluetongue virus has no impact to human health.

"Trade disruption is an unfortunate and unavoidable consequence of dealing with a BTV infection. For example, those in the TCZ will be unable to move stock outside the zone to live, be they store lambs, in-lamb ewes, or wintering hoggs."

NSA Northern Ireland Region is urging farmers to be aware of the following key details:

• Symptoms -  Identifying BTV in sheep, cattle, camelids (llamas and alpacas) and other ruminants (deer, goats) is important to manage new outbreaks. Fever, swelling of the head and neck, lameness, inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membrane of the mouth, nose and eyes, drooling, haemorrhages in the skin and other tissues, respiratory problems, such as froth in the lungs and an inability to swallow, high mortality rate, discoloration and swelling of the tongue (rare).
• Movements - Only moves direct to slaughter will be permitted from the TCZ and a General Licence will be required for these movements. To download a general licence click here. A DAERA press release can be found here. Further information on the Bluetongue situation in Northern Ireland can be found here. A copy of the TCZ declaration which details the measures to be adhered to can be found here. Slaughter animals only can be exported to the Republic of Ireland for direct slaughter but need to be licenced at least 48 hours ahead of movement. Further possibilities for export are still being discussed.
• Vaccination - Vaccine uptake has been minimal from July. Only five farms are known to have vaccinated across Northern Ireland with the cost of vaccines prohibitive for many. Some farmers have questioned the value of vaccination, especially as now movement restrictions have been enforced there is no differentiation on rules regarding vaccinated and unvaccinated animals. NSA urges sheep keepers to consider vaccination as a positive step to insure flock health and productivity against the virus.
• Infection - Vets believe most of the cows testing positive – which were not vaccinated - have become infected over the past two months. Due to the transmission being active, the animals will not be culled.
• Monitoring - DAERA midge surveillance has found low numbers of Culicoides midges (the midge that acts as a vector for the virus), although active infected midges carrying BTV-3 around the infected farm have been found. DAERA is testing 20 herds within the 20 km zone and first results are expected on the 6th December.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: “The UK livestock industry is seeing cases continuing to pop up but mortality and severe welfare cases are much lower than expected. This leaves questions in many farmers minds over whether to vaccinate or not and the decision comes down to the level of risk any business is prepared to take.

“We could be seeing the virus weaken naturally, but the low numbers of serious cases could also be down to low levels of viremia, and this could increase next Spring and Summer meaning next year could be worse. There are experts in the field with contrasting opinions but no one knows exactly what might happen next year. In the meantime, at least a vaccine is available, remaining the only real line of defence, and it’s down to the farmer and their vet to choose the best route for the individual business.”