Farmers urged to be vigilant about threat of bluetongue disease
THE Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, has advised farmers to stay vigilant in the face of the increasing threat of bluetongue disease.
A new case of bluetongue has been reported in Norfolk, UK, and further spread has occurred in recent weeks across France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Denmark.
“Bluetongue is a serious threat to the Irish cattle and sheep industries and has caused very substantial losses to farmers and industry in affected countries recently,” said Minister McConalogue. “The risk to Irish livestock is increasing and I strongly advise all livestock farmers to stay vigilant, review their farm biosecurity arrangements, avoid introducing cattle or sheep from affected areas and countries and report any suspicion of disease to my department.”
Bluetongue is a viral disease affecting cattle, sheep, goats, alpacas and other ruminants and camelids. Bluetongue does not pose a food safety or public health risk. It is spread between animals by biting midges.
There are many different serotypes. Bluetongue virus 3 (BTV-3) is currently the most serious threat. It is spreading rapidly across north-western Europe since last autumn. There are a growing number of cases of BTV-3 in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, with over 4,000 recorded new cases reported since May 2024. BTV-3 has also recently been confirmed in France, Luxembourg and Denmark.
The high-risk period in Ireland runs from spring until late autumn when midges are most abundant.
It is crucial to report any suspicion of bluetongue to your local Regional Veterinary Office (RVO) without delay.
Anyone who intends to bring into Ireland animals that are susceptible to bluetongue should implement all preventative measures that can help to keep Ireland free of bluetongue including the following:
* Immediately isolate the animals indoors in a clean shed on arrival, away from the rest of the herd or flock, until all the post-entry blood testing has been carried out and results have been received.
* Check that the animals have the correct identification and certification requirements.
* Ensure that they have access to clean dry bedding, feed and water and contact your vet without delay if any animals appear unwell.
* Contact the local RVO immediately once the animals arrive to arrange for the required post-entry checks for diseases including bluetongue. Early detection of the bluetongue virus is of key importance to controlling any potential outbreak.
More information on bluetongue can be found on the department’s website: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cd6c0-bluetongue-virus/.