Latest news with #Schmallenberg
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Farmer devastated after mysterious disease ravages his animals: 'You're looking at your dreams ... being shattered'
A Scottish farmer was stunned when a virus killed more than half his lambs early in 2025, and he fears the devastating vector-borne disease could spell the end for his family business. As detailed by the BBC, Dundonald livestock farmer Michael Goldie lost 92 of his expected 152 newborn lambs to the Schmallenberg virus in January. The virus, first discovered in Germany in 2011, is connected to stillbirths, limb malformations, brain deformities, and other defects in newborn animals, according to the National Animal Disease Information Service. Goldie, who has been raising sheep since he was 10, told the BBC that the emotional impact felt more significant than the tens of thousands of pounds in estimated financial losses. "You're looking at your dreams in front of you effectively just being shattered," Goldie said, explaining that he reached out to a veterinarian when several newborn lambs "didn't look right." The Schmallenberg virus is one of several viruses threatening farming operations in the United Kingdom. If the viruses spread widely, livelihoods could be lost and the food supply interrupted. "If I can get absolutely hammered by Schmallenberg, I could be wiped out by a different vector-borne disease," Goldie said. This year, per the report, officials have already recorded more than 200 cases of bluetongue virus, which first appeared in England in 2023. Bluetongue can kill adult animals, and, according to NADIS, it historically circulates primarily in tropical and subtropical areas. Like Schmallenberg, bluetongue is spread by biting midges — whose active period in the U.K. has become longer because of rising global temperatures, per research by The Pirbright Institute, Rothamsted Research, the U.K. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and the Met Office. "There are a whole number of diseases there that are causing grief, and it's a difficult time to be a farmer," added Sheila Voas, Scotland's chief veterinary officer. Scotland's Rural College is developing an app to provide farmers with timely access to animal health data, as the BBC reported. The hope is that replacing paper-based monitoring with HerdPlan will help agricultural teams spot and contain issues more quickly. What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time Not enough space It seems too hard I have a garden already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The warming climate has also contributed to the spread of deadly diseases in humans. For instance, mosquitoes — which can carry malaria and dengue, among other things — have increased their ranges as temperatures become more ideal for their reproduction and survival. While researchers are rolling out life-saving vaccines and a range of innovative techniques to help control pest populations, you, too, can contribute to Earth's long-term health by supporting biodiversity and reducing household pollution. Actions can include swapping your monoculture grass lawn for a low-maintenance natural yard or upgrading to energy-efficient appliances. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Farmers fear being 'wiped out' if any more diseases strike
A livestock farmer has lost more than half his newborn lambs in one of the first Scottish cases of a deadly virus - and fears he could be wiped out if his farm is struck by any more Schmallenberg virus killed up to 92 of the 152 lambs that Michael Goldie was expecting to deliver last month at his farm in Dundonald near Troon in had remained largely free of the Schmallenberg virus until January but concern is growing after a spike in country's chief vet, Sheila Voas, says the disease is just one of an unusually high number of threats being faced by farmers. She believes it is inevitable that other diseases will spread to Scotland and is urging farmers to be extra vigilant for warning signs. Michael, 52, is a fifth generation farmer who breeds pedigree Suffolk sheep with the help of his mum Helen, who's pair have been working together with the sheep since Micheal was 10 years old and the virus has left them both first realised he had a problem on the second day of lambing at the beginning of called in the vet when they realised some lambs "didn't look right", after which Michael said "it went bang". The financial losses run into tens of thousands of pounds - but he says the emotional toll it's taken on the whole family has been much worse."You're looking at your dreams in front of you effectively just being shattered," he said."If I can get absolutely hammered by Schmallenberg, I could be wiped out by a different vector-borne disease." A range of diseases are causing concern for farmers at the Schmallenberg virus was first detected in Germany in Rural College (SRUC) has confirmed five new cases so far this year - but because it's not a notifiable disease, it is thought there could already be dozens more.A new strain of the bluetongue virus - which originated in the Netherlands - was detected in England in than 200 cases have now been recorded, with movement restrictions in place along the east of the country stretching from Sussex to North viruses are carried by midges which can be blown in the wind, and the changing climate means Scotland is becoming more exposed to diseases previously reserved to warmer Schmallenberg, Bluetongue can kill adult animals and have a more devastating effect on chief vet, Sheila Voas, has urged farmers to remain alert to the threats and submit suspected cases for said: "There are a whole number of diseases there that are causing grief and it's a difficult time to be a farmer."There have always been health-related issues but it does feel like we've got more than is reasonable at the moment." In January, an avian flu protection zone was declared for the whole of Scotland following a confirmed case in a backyard flock in its presence is causing significant concern to poultry farmers and the next risk comes in the spring when infected flocks of pink footed geese pass through Scotland as they migrate protection zone requires enhanced biosecurity measures to be undertaken by keepers although there is no requirement yet for birds to be kept of birds can accelerate transmission where the virus is present, which means housing them in sheds is not always the safest of liver fluke, which is transmitted through mud snails, have been rising over the long can result in the sudden deaths of previously healthy animals including sheep and isolated case of classical BSE - or mad cow disease - was discovered on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway in of animals were subsequently culled, although no further cases were picked a single case of foot and mouth disease in Germany led to restrictions on products being understood the source of the case has still not been established. Experts at Scotland's rural college have been developing an app to help farmers improve the efficiency of their monitoring of animal replaces paper-based surveillance and allows farm staff, vets and nutritionists to track and monitor vaccination strategies and infectious disease protocols across a range of areas in real aim is to help farmers test regularly and spot potential problems at an early enough stage to contain are also available to carry out heavily subsidised post-mortem examinations on animals to establish what caused them to says it carried out about 1,400 post-mortems in 2024 and is expecting that number to increase this of veterinary surveillance at SRUC, Dr Pamela Johnston, said post-mortem testing was "absolutely key" to understanding the transmission of added: "If you think back to the foot and mouth epidemics that we've had, [they can be] disastrous. Not only financially but emotionally."It's horrific for the farmers to deal with."Michael Goldie's flock is now showing signs of antibodies which, he hopes, will protect them from a repeat of the Schmallenberg chief vet though says it's "probably inevitable" that Bluetongue will reach Scotland at some stage, maybe even this so farmers like Michael are being urged to be extra vigilant for the signs of that and other diseases that may be coming.
