South East needs to vaccinate to eradicate bluetongue

Wholesale vaccination is essential in the fight to eradicate the devastating disease bluetongue, livestock farmers in the South East of England are being reminded.

"Widespread vaccination and good practice helped keep bluetongue at bay in 2009," says vet Matt Dobbs, a member of South East England's Animal Health and Welfare Group.

"If we can repeat that success this year then we can be confident that we are a long way down the road to keeping the disease away from the whole of the UK. Because the disease spread from the Continent the South East is at the greatest risk from bluetongue and is on the frontline in the battle against it."

Cattle and sheep farmers are being urged to vaccinate all their stock against the BTV8 bluetongue virus rather than just selected animals such as breeding stock. Keepers of camelids, deer and goats can also vaccinate.

"Vaccinating selected stock is a false economy as it could allow the bluetongue virus to re-circulate," says Mr Dobbs.

Dr Chris Oura is the Institute for Animal Health's bluetongue research leader. He says:

"We know how effective vaccination is because it meant bluetongue was kept out of the UK last year and it also meant that bluetongue cases in France fell from over 29,000 in 2008 to fewer than 100 last year."  

He adds that despite France's success in controlling bluetongue, there were still cases of the disease in the north of France in 2009 which poses a risk of infected midges crossing the Channel.

"Vaccination will also protect stock against contracting the bluetongue virus from imported animals. Despite post-import testing and movement restrictions, if we import infected cattle and sheep into the UK these animals can transmit the virus to midges which would allow the disease to reestablish itself in the UK."

"I believe that buying the vaccine is one of the most important investments we will make this year," says Tim Gue, West Sussex dairy farmer and member of the board managing the region's new LASER herd health scheme

"By vaccinating I can help keep my herd, the South East and the UK free of bluetongue. It is a disease that has a devastating effect on both cattle and sheep and unlike other diseases there is no Government compensation once it is detected."

As well as being warned against selectively vaccinating stock, farmers are advised to give stock the appropriate doses. Sheep only need one dose of vaccine as do cattle that were vaccinated last year. Young cattle or those that were not vaccinated last year will need two doses. Keepers of camelids, goats and deer should seek vaccination advice from their vets.

Farmers are also being warned to be extra vigilant when importing stock into the South East. In 2007 and 2008 a number of imported cattle and sheep were confirmed to have the BTV8 strain of the disease with isolated cases of the BTV1 strain of bluetongue. Any imported stock must be tested for the disease  within seven days of shipment at the first UK holding they arrive at. Stock may only be moved after the confirmation of a negative test result.

Bluetongue vaccination guidelines - 2010

Sheep

For ease of management consider vaccinating:

·        When scanning

·        When giving routine worming treatments

·        During Defra flock inspections

Sheep vaccination timings:

Early season (Jan/Feb) lambing flocks – vaccinate ewes and lambs at first gather

Mid Season (Mar) lambing flocks – vaccinate ewes and lambs at first gather

Late season (Apr/May) lambing flocks - vaccinate ewes pre-lambing (discuss timings with your vet). Vaccinate lambs at first gather (discuss timings with your vet).

Cattle

Consider vaccinating:

·       While handling for pregnancy diagnosis

·       When giving routine worming treatments

·       At routine TB testing

·       When routinely blood testing

·       During tag inspections

Cattle vaccination timings

Housed beef/dairy cows – vaccinate stock at least six weeks prior to turnout

Calves – vaccinate batches of calves as required

Information based on 2009 guidelines issued by JAB (Joint Campaign Against Bluetongue)

Sources of Bluetongue information

Defra: www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/bluetongue/index.htm

JAB (Joint Campaign Against Bluetongue): www.nfuonline.com/x23015.xml

Institute for Animal Health: www.iah.ac.uk/disease/bt_aw.shtml