The disease rife in England causing major issues for one of Wales' largest events
A ban on travelling animals has been put in place for the Royal Welsh Show
A major change has been announced for the Royal Welsh Show
(Image: John Myers )
A disease carried by midges which can kill livestock has led one of Wales' biggest events to take the step of banning some animals from its flagship event.
Bluetongue is a viral disease which is spread by biting midges, and affects sheep, cattle, goats and deer, llama and alpaca. It is circulating in England and Wales. Rarely, it can affect dogs and other carnivores but it does not affect humans and poses no risk to public health or food safety.
Now, the Royal Welsh Show, a huge event to both the farming community and Powys, has banned livestock from England from this year's event following the spread of the bluetongue virus. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
Animals that must travel through a restricted zone are also banned, effectively denying entry to any livestock from Scotland.
It is expected there will be 40% fewer cattle competing at this year's show.
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society said it had acted as a result of "growing concern". "We recognise the growing concern surrounding the current bluetongue situation and the uncertainty it presents for livestock exhibitors. We want to reassure our exhibitors that we are committed to working with and supporting you as the situation unfolds.
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"We are actively monitoring developments and are in close communication with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Welsh Government veterinary team."
The statement continued: "This policy has been introduced to safeguard the health of livestock exhibited at this year's Royal Welsh Show and to help reduce the risk of bluetongue spreading. We would like to reassure all attendees that Bluetongue does not affect humans and poses no risk to public health or food safety".
Symptoms vary but include fever, lesions, redness of the mouth, eyes, nose, reddening of the skin above the hoof, excessive salivation and nasal discharge. However, animals may show little or no clinical signs. It does not affect humans or food safety – meat and milk from infected animals are also safe to eat and drink.
BTV-3 is a relatively new strain, first reported in September 2023 in the Netherlands. Cases have since been reported in Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Denmark and Switzerland. The first case was confirmed in the UK on November 10, 2023.
The Welsh Government confirmed the first Bluetongue (BTV3) case in Wales in Gwynedd on September 27. A second case was then found on Anglesey weeks later.
There have been no cases of bluetongue in Wales so far this year but show chief executive Aled Rhys Jones told S4C's farming programme Ffermio, external: "It was a hard decision. Naturally we're disappointed and so are a lot of exhibitors who have supported us along the years but it's the responsible decision to follow the science and veterinary advice."
The show's chief vet Dafydd Jones said testing animals was impractical with only one testing centre in the UK.
He added: "It's possible to test on one day and the animal picks up the virus the following day. The idea of discovering bluetongue on the show field would be a nightmare – the last thing we want."
NFU Cymru president Aled Jones told BBC Radio Wales earlier this week the virus was "very concerning" to farmers. "We've had many reports of clinical symptoms of bluetongue and no farmer would wish to see them. I think that there's abroad understanding we need to keep the disease out.
"It does not transmit from cattle to cattle or sheep to sheep, it required a vector, and those are midges, small flies that are blood sucking. If they take infected blood from one animal they can then bite another animal and then transmit the disease, so it's a complex disease.
"Obviously weather related because midge activity will be low when the temperatures are when low when they're not flying but as temperatures warm up, activity increases quite rapidly and it can be borne in the wind as well. That's why the complexity we have to be wary of."
Mr Jones said symptoms are very obvious and those animals will die and abortions may be needed. However, some don't show signs and are carriers. "Dealing with this disease is so difficult, it inevitably means a lot of testing and testing is very expensive."
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