NSA launches BTV farm guidance with SVS

7 steps to be ready for Bluetongue 

Having cases of bluetongue (BTV-3) on farm, has left many feeling powerless, but experiences of many NSA members that have been affected shows there are things you can do to be prepared and provide the best chances of recovery:

1. Check stock thoroughly and regularly. Get everything standing and moving. It may be worth using hard feed and putting animals into smaller groups to allow closer inspection if possible. Bluetongue is a notifiable disease, and you must notify the authorities or tell your vet if you think it’s in your stock.
2. Understand the signs. Many are reporting that initial signs are an unwillingness to get up, inability to walk far, and a loss of appetite. On closer inspection farmers are seeing sore red feet (looks like scald), drooling, swollen faces, runny noses and higher temperatures. In some cases, people are experiencing abortion in autumn lambers, and sudden death. Critically, affected animals may not drink and dehydration will lead to deterioration.
3. Catch it early. Regular and thorough stock checks will help identify the virus in sheep early, and early identification improves chances of recovery.
4. Prepare to treat sick sheep. Make sure you have clean buckets to take water to sheep, as affected sheep tend to be unwilling to walk and will quickly become dehydrated. This will be aided if affected animals can be brought inside and protected. Sugar beet, hydration, energy drinks and highly palatable forage should be on hand to maintain energy and hydration levels, and rumen bugs working. Anti-inflammatories, pain relief and, if prescribed by the vet, antibiotics are helping sheep through the virus.
5. Order vaccine. There are three vaccines for BTV-3. Two are single shot vaccines and one a double shot vaccine.  Some farmers are suggesting they are seeing some protection from as early as 10 – 12 days after vaccination but full immunity is gained after 21 or 28 days depending on the product used. Choice is likely to be affected by availability, and orders can only be made through a vet. There is a requirement to report vaccine use and supplying vets should provide guidance on how to do this.
6. Clean your needles and ensure adequate supplies of needles. There is a risk of spreading the virus between sheep through needles at the point of vaccination. This will depend on whether the virus is circulating in the flock, so it is advisable to change needles regularly, and very regularly if disease is circulating in your area. Sterilising or disinfecting needles between injections may help reduce the risk of needle borne transmission.
7. Flocks seeing BTV-3 can still vaccinate. It is worth talking this through with your vet, taking into consideration the risks of vaccinating animals with clinical signs and the benefits of protecting animals that may be affected over the coming months.
8. Look after your sheep but don’t forget to look after yourselves and your neighbours and friends. If you have BTV-3 on your farm you are not the only ones. It is good to talk and share experiences. The NSA can help if you want to talk and can put you in contact with organisations specialising in farmer wellbeing.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us. The Sheep Vet Society also appreciate the strain farm vets are under. Please visit our website and make contact if you need help - www.sheepvetsoc.org.uk