RBST Devon                

FLASH NEWS - PLEASE VACCINATE YOUR ANIMALS and this year check for multiple strains

The bluetongue vaccine was used reasonably well during 2008 but many farmers did not vaccinate. This put others at risk. So please vaccinate according to the instruction of your vet. The RBST highly recommends vacation, in particular to protect these vulnerable populations of animals.

GIven that things will move very fast, please contact your vet if you have sheep, cattle of goats and order your vaccine. The notes below are from 2008, but will give guidance on general information on the disease and who to contact for further info. Good luck and get vaccinating as soon as you can

For the Defra words of wisdom please click here. and for the latest from the RBST - please click here and look at news items

Q. What is Bluetongue?
A. Blue Tongue Virus (BTV) is a notifiable disease and is transmitted to animals via the Cullicodes midge species. Blue tongue virus can infect domestic and wild ruminants (sheep, cattle, goats and deer and camelids). 

Q. If I think some of my animals have Bluetongue does it have to be reported?
A. Bluetongue has to be reported - but looks like a lot of other things (e.g. foot and mouth, New Forest Eye, Orf ... Photographs are useful)

Q. OK, so what does Bluetongue look like?
A. Try this link for images of sheep and cattle and also for some things that are not Bluetongue (this is a large pdf file - please be patient)
And for cattle
Also check out some of the links below

Q. Will we get Bluetongue in our area?
A. It is in your area. The primary type is BTV8.

Q. What animals can get Bluetongue?
A. Cattle get it and act as the main reservoir for the midges to pass it on, but it does not effect them as badly as sheep
Sheep get it easily, and can suffer up to 70% mortality
Goats and deer also get it.
Cattle are the priority as infected ones are the main reservoir and higher economic value

Q Can Bluetongue be transmitted between animals?
A. BTV cannot normally be transmitted directly between animals, although mechanical transmission, through the use of contaminated hypodermic needles and surgical equipment is possible. It is transmitted to animals via the Cullicodes midge species, with cattle being the main reservoir. However, it is now thought that the disease can be passed from mother to a new born calf. 'The new discovery into transmission routes of the disease came after the cow imported to Northern Ireland from Holland had tested negative for the disease, but gave birth to infected calves 30 days later.' according to Farmers Guardian 03 / 08

Q. After they recover what is the effect?
A. The animals may be infertile or have lower fertility for anything up to a year. See links for other details

Q. What can we do about it?
A. The only viable defence is vaccination - that being developed is 'not a live vaccine', to avoid mutation, and licensing includes proof of effectiveness
Defra and the EU recommend 100% vaccination, and need 80% to 85% to control it

Q. Can I vaccinate my animals? And when? And what will it cost?
A. Everyone can and should vaccinate - details from your local vet. Vaccine can now be got in both 20 ml and 50 ml does at the same cost per ml

Q Can the animals get long term immunity?
A. A vet reported after a meeting that they hope that 3 years of vaccination will give long term immunity - but that is only for the BTV8 strain. (There are around 24 serotypes of bluetongue!

Q. Who pays for the vaccine?
A. Cost will be borne by farmers

Q. Tell me a bit more about the vaccine
A. Vaccine takes about 2 weeks to take effect
There will be no withdrawal period for the vaccine
Vaccine expected to give defence to offspring for three months, therefore annual vaccination may be good for pregnant ewes
Young stock will probably need vaccination from age of three months
Vaccination is 100% recommended but will not be enforced nor policed due to the cost of policing.
No plans to vaccinate deer - but they can catch it
Vaccination outside zones is not allowed - as if tested it would look like an infection
Vaccine will only be available via the vets
Hopefully the vaccine might be included in other jabs that we regularly give our animals in the future - but no plans yet and there would have to be extensive tests to assure no cross reaction between vaccines

Q. If I get Bluetongue on my farm will someone come and cull my animals?
A. No animal that gets the disease will be culled

Q. Is there anything I can do to minimise the effect on my animals?
A. It might help to get infected animals out of the sun, give them soft bedding, easily digestible and taken food, and treat bad ones for secondary infections. This is based on farming practice in Europe and in Africa
Delaying shearing of sheep would probably be sensible where possible as the fleece appears to give some protection against midges
A vet advised people with valuable animals to consider dipping/ topical treatment/housing as appropriate  or possible until they can be vaccinated

Q. Given sheep have wool, how do they get it?
A. Sheep get bitten on their bellies and legs, a dip 'might' help reduce incidence (and make farmer feel happier that they are doing something before a vaccine available)

Q. Tell me more about the after effects?
A. Fertility in sheep, in particular rams, can drop dramatically but is thought to recover after 9 to 12 months.
Fertility, milk etc also affected in cattle
Animals who have had the disease will not be carriers - though now thought that perhaps a very small percentage (<1%) might be, as the disease reappears each year and it is not known how
Any that do get it badly may need treating for secondary infections, but the main thing they need is tender loving care as they often cannot move or feed

Q. What happens about movements of animals across zones, in the UK and EU?
A. Animals can be moved within zones. The UK government is looking at potential movement restrictions from time to time - check the DEFRA web site

Q. What about goats?
A. Goats should be treated like sheep - off data sheet as no economics in testing vaccines for goats

Q. What was the experience in Mainland Europe?
A. The figures for Northern European countries is of a few outbreaks in year one followed by hundreds or thousands in year 2, hopefully we can prevent this year by 100% vaccination

Q. What is the RBST position on Bluetongue? In simple terms - vaccinate
A. Click here

Q. Where else can I get information on Bluetongue?
A. The best thing is to use Google and search on 'Bluetongue' or 'Bluetongue images'
Here are some links that might help
Defra
British Veterinary Association
Sheep Veterinary Association
RBST HQ

Q. What about rare breeds?
A. Rare and traditional breeds - as breeds - are more at risk than other breeds, purely because of their lower numbers. So please vaccinate

Q Where did this information come from?

A. This is based on a report from a meeting held on Bluetongue - Jan 2008 in Exeter, and subsequent updates from the NFU / DEFRA