Bluetongue Update from Scottish Government

You will be interested to see the announcement Defra have made this afternoon to confirm that the Bluetongue Protection Zone will expand as of Monday 1^st September to include Cumbria and Northumberland. As part of this announcement they have also confirmed that 8 cattle (in a consignment of 35 imported from Germany) in Devon have been found to be positive for bluetongue virus 8.

Our assessment is that whilst this development is of concern it no direct disease implications for Scotland. However, we would find it helpful if you could continue to remind your members of the importance of care in the sourcing of stock and avoid high risk areas.

In the light of the expansion of the bluetongue Protection Zone a number of slaughterhouses have been designated by Scottish Ministers to take unvaccinated animals subject to specific disease mitigation measures.

Following further feedback from stakeholders following the meeting and discussions with Defra (under whose license conditions animals would leave the Protection Zone) we have made one modification to the conditions which is to allow animals to leave the protection zone at 9am (rather than individual premises). This eases up some of the logistical concerns expressed on Tuesday and has been made possible by an additional undertaking by SAMW that their members will source stock from outside the areas of known disease last year.

As agreed on Tuesday these conditions will be kept under review, particularly in the light of any confirmation of circulating bluetongue virus within the Protection Zone.

DEFRA NEWS RELEASE (Link:http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080829a.htm)
Defra confirms Bluetongue detected in Devon and extension of Protection Zone into Northumberland and Cumbria to allow vaccination in all of England

Defra today announced the detection of Bluetongue (BTV8) in eight imported cattle, on premises near Tiverton, Devon. The animals originated from the same consignment imported from within the BTV8 Restricted Zone in Germany.

On 20 August, Defra announced that Northumberland and Cumbria would both enter the Protection Zone at the same time but 'not before' 1 September. This has given livestock keepers and sales organisers a degree of certainty to help them plan movement of their animals to slaughter or to sales in England and Scotland, to mitigate the impact on trade. Defra can now confirm that the Protection Zone will be extended on Monday 1 September into Northumberland and Cumbria. This will complete the roll-out of the vaccination programme by bringing the whole of England into the Protection Zone, enabling farmers to protect their animals from the threat of Bluetongue.

The cases in Devon were detected as a result of post-import testing carried out by Defra on all Bluetongue susceptible animals arriving from Continental Europe, in addition to checks at the country of origin.

These cases emphasise the need for farmers to be aware of the risks of importing animals from within Restricted Zones and to consider very carefully the potential consequences for their existing livestock and the livestock of their neighbours.Â
This also highlights the importance of vaccination.

It is the only effective tool to protect susceptible animals from Bluetongue. Farmers throughout the Protection Zone should vaccinate as soon as vaccine is available
to them.

A mass vaccination campaign against Bluetongue began in late April this year, and approximately 21.5 million doses have so far been made available to farmers as far north as Durham and Lancashire to protect their stock

Protection Zones for BTV8 across the EU are regarded as being “confluent”. This means that it is legally possible to move susceptible animals from the BTV8 Protection Zone in Germany to the Protection Zone in England and Wales and vice versa. It is therefore not unexpected to find infected animals in the Protection Zone

There is no evidence to suggest that virus is circulating between local midge and animal populations in the local areas. Full epidemiological investigations are underway. In respect of the decision to extend the Protection Zone on 1 September into Northumberland and Cumbria, livestock keepers in the areas coming into the Protection Zone will be able to obtain the vaccine from the time they become part of the Zone; however, they are encouraged to order vaccine in advance through their vet. The vaccine will be available in 20ml, 50ml and 100ml bottles, although some bottle sizes may be more readily available than others as supply proportions vary over time.

Protection Zone restrictions will apply to those keepers coming into the extended zone. Animals can only be moved out of the Protection Zone if they are vaccinated, naturally immune or moving for slaughter, subject to meeting certain conditions.

Please refer to the Defra website for further guidance.

All livestock farmers are strongly encouraged to be vigilant and to vaccinate at the earliest possible opportunity.

Please refer to the Welsh Assembly website for the latest information on the roll-out of
vaccination in Wales.

Notes to Editors

The Protection Zone will be expanded at 00:01 on Monday 1
September.

The vaccination roll-out plan is available on the Defra website at:
 Â

www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/control/vaccination/vaccination-rolloutplan.htm

Further information, including maps of the Bluetongue Zones and guidance on movement restrictions, can be found at:
www.defra.gov.uk/bluetongue

Further information is available to farmers via the Defra helpline (0845 9335577) and website

For further information on the use of the vaccine, please see the operational guidance on the Defra website:
www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/control/vaccination/vaccination-operational.htm

The Welsh Assembly website can be found at
http://new.wales.gov.uk/splash