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Powys County Times
10 hours ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
Farming unions raise concerns over Wales' bluetongue stance
FARMING unions have expressed 'disappointment' and 'concern' at the Welsh Government's decision not to impose restrictions on livestock movement amid the spread of the bluetongue virus. Multiple outbreaks in England saw the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announce last month that the restricted zone for bluetongue will be extended to cover all of England from July 1. Farmers will be able to move animals within England without a bluetongue licence or test but with Wales not imposing restrictions having not seen a confirmed case, limits are to be placed on moving livestock from England. Cattle, sheep and goats will need to test negative for the potentially fatal disease before they can be transported across the border. This led to the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) announcing this week that English and Scottish livestock exhibitors will not be allowed to compete at this year's Royal Welsh Show in July. Farming organisations in Wales had urged Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies to align with England to prevent restrictions on livestock movements. However, the cabinet secretary for rural affairs, said his decision was made in an 'attempt to hold back the disease for as long as we can', adding he could not 'in all conscience invite bluetongue into Wales' by aligning with England. A specific movement licence will be administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), while England's focus will shift to encouraging uptake of new vaccines which alleviate the symptoms. 'The current RZ approach in England has helped keep bluetongue away from the Welsh border," Mr Irranca-Davies said. "I regret the current RZ cannot be maintained but understand the reasons behind its expansion to the whole of England. 'In practical terms, it means we will lose the security of having a two-county buffer between potentially infected livestock in England and the Welsh border. This change increases the risk of disease incursion into Wales.' NFU Cymru has expressed concern at the cost and practicality of these controls. 'There are many unknowns about how BTV-3 could impact our herds and flocks across Wales and Welsh farmers are extremely worried about the threat of the spread of the disease,' said NFU Cymru president Aled Jones. 'However, we have significant concerns about the lack of resources and capacity within the laboratories and APHA to deliver against the potential demand for each and every animal to be tested and licensed, given the significant amount of stock that move across the border from England to Wales for management, welfare and trading purposes. 'We understand that going forward the costs of testing will be borne by the farmer, which will cause a huge increase to the cost of trading.' FUW president Ian Rickman called the non-alignment a 'disappointment to the industry'. 'As farmers our first instinct is to keep any disease out, but in order to maintain economic stability within the industry, the FUW has repeatedly lobbied the Welsh Government to simultaneously align with the changes proposed in England, as the sheer number of cross-border holdings and trading activity will be vastly disrupted with this policy decision. 'Meanwhile, midges that carry and spread the virus would not respect any such boundaries. 'DEFRA's decision will inevitably bring disease to the Welsh-English border and places both the Welsh Government and the wider industry in an impossible situation. 'However, given this 'when' not 'if' circumstance of bluetongue encroachment into Wales, the FUW believes enforcing a border between Wales and England is both a futile endeavour and wholly impractical.'
Agriland
23-05-2025
- Health
- Agriland
DEFRA to extend bluetongue restriction zone to all of England
The bluetongue virus restricted zone will be extended from July 1 to cover the whole of England, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has confirmed. The decision will end movement restrictions for animals and allowing farmers to move cattle, sheep, all ruminants, camelids, throughout England without movement tests. The department said the move follows consultation between industry and scientists recognising that the area of England where disease has been found is now too large for movement restrictions to remain an effective and proportionate way of controlling the disease. This new approach aligns with the approach taken throughout the EU. DEFRA said it will also allow a renewed focus on resources on higher priority disease risks, which now presents a greater risk to industry, such as Foot and Mouth Disease and African Swine Fever. Bluetongue Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) is primarily transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep, goats, deer and camelids such as llamas and alpacas. The impacts on susceptible animals can vary greatly – but in most cases seen since September 2024 clinical signs have been mild and animals have recovered. Many areas of England are now affected by bluetongue and safe and effective vaccines are available. Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines are available and farmers are being encouraged to discuss their use with their vet as vaccination is the most effective way to protect livestock from bluetongue. Commenting on the decision to extend the restriction zone, UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: 'Through movement controls we have slowed the westerly spread of bluetongue until vaccines are available. 'We are now moving away from government imposed movement controls which are costly and disruptive to farming particularly those within the zones. 'An all-England restriction zone will allow livestock farmers currently impacted by burdensome restrictions to be on equal footing with rest of England. 'We encourage all farmers and keepers to discuss the use of BTV-3 vaccines to protect their herds and flocks with their private vet as this is the most effective way of protecting susceptible species. 'I urge all livestock keepers to report suspect disease. It is especially important to remember that foot and mouth disease and bluetongue can have similar clinical presentation.' Bluetongue virus is a notifiable disease. Farmers should continue to monitor their animals frequently for clinical signs and report suspicion of disease immediately. They should also make sure their animals and land are registered with Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) so keepers can be kept informed and animals easily located
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Somerset farmers urged to check livestock for deadly virus
Farmers and smallholders are being urged to stay vigilant for signs of a virus called Bluetongue.A restriction zone has been extended to most of south Somerset by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Animal Health and Plant Agency, after a case was found in virus mainly affects cattle and sheep, and restricts their Venner, partner with Greenslade Taylor Hunt, which runs the Sedgemoor Auction Market in Bridgwater, said: "Thankfully, animals can recover, death is quite rare." Restriction zone extension Signs and symptoms of Bluetongue include sores, red skin, lethargy and – or BTV-3 – can also cause infertility and breathing problems in some animals but does not affect people or food virus is spread by midges that are often blown over from mainland said they identified cases of the virus in cattle in Dorset, leading to the extension of the restricted zone into south Somerset on 14 February."The restriction zone is a precaution to try and slow down the spread of the disease," Mr Venner said."There's very limited spread at the moment."Under law, if you see it you have to notify the local authorities."Mr Venner added that there was no treatment but a vaccine had been developed that could become available in the UK the National Farmers Union warned that the vaccines only tackled symptoms of the virus rather than preventing means movement controls on livestock and trade restrictions currently in place would still apply to vaccinated animals.
