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Bluetongue: Advice to farmers

Letter: Letter from Animal Health to livestock keepers in the Bluetongue Control (now Protection) and Protection (now Surveillance) Zones - 30 September 2007 (PDF)
(29 KB).
Letter: Letter from Animal Health to livestock keepers regarding Bluetongue restrictions - 25 September 2007 (PDF) (50 KB)

What can I do?

Above all, monitor your stock carefully...

To remain vigilant for Bluetongue you should inspect your stock, particularly focusing on the mucous linings, (lining of the mouth and nose) and the coronary band (where the hoof stops and the skin starts), and; if you suspect one of your animals has Bluetongue, it is vital to report it as early as possible. Telephone your nearest Animal Health Office immediately or call the Defra helpline on: 08459 33 55 77 between 9am - 5pm, 5 days a week.

Definition

Bluetongue is a disease of animals affecting all ruminants, including sheep, cattle, deer, goats and camelids (camels, llamas, alpacas, guanaco and vicuña). Horses and pigs are not susceptible species. The disease is caused by a virus spread by certain types of biting midges.

How to spot the disease (Clinical signs)

Bluetongue - Howe to spot the disease (pdf 147kb)Clinical signs can vary between species. Although symptoms are generally more severe in sheep, cattle can occasionally show signs of disease. Cattle are important in epidemiology of Bluetongue as they act as an often silent source of Bluetongue Virus (BTV) – a reservoir for disease and keep the infection circulating. It is important to be vigilant, especially in the case of sheep. If you suspect any signs of the disease you must report this immediately to your local Animal Health Office.

Leaflet: Bluetongue - How to spot the disease Adobe acrobat pdf file (147 KB)

Photos: Photos of clinical signs.

Clinical signs in sheep:
  • Eye and nasal discharges
  • Drooling as a result of ulcerations in the mouth
  • High body temperature
  • Swelling of the mouth, head and neck
  • Lameness
  • Haemorrhages into or under the skin
  • Inflammation at the junction of the skin and the horn of the foot – the coronary band
  • Respiratory problems – difficulty with breathing and nasal discharge
  • A blue tongue is rarely a clinical sign of infection
  • Deaths of sheep in a flock may reach as high as 70 per cent. Animals that survive the disease can lose condition with a reduction in meat and wool production.

Clinical signs in cattle:
It is possible that cattle will show no signs of illness, however clinical signs have included:

  • Nasal discharge
  • Swelling of the head and neck
  • Conjunctivitis (runny eyes)
  • Swelling in, and ulceration, of the mouth
  • Swollen teats
  • Tiredness
  • Saliva drooling out of the mouth

In cattle, the disease cannot be diagnosed on clinical grounds and requires laboratory testing for confirmation.

How to report the disease

If you suspect signs of any notifiable disease, you must immediately notify your local Divisional Veterinary Manager.

Guidance on the disease vector and potential mitigation measures (pdf 27kb)Guidance on the disease vector and potential mitigation measures

How is Bluetongue controlled

Background

When the Bluetongue outbreak was confirmed Defra, in accordance with the Bluetongue Order 2003 and in line with the UK Disease Control Strategy that had been agreed jointly with industry, implemented a Restricted Zone which comprised a Control Zone immediately around the Infected Premises, surrounded by a wider Protection Zone of 150km radius. As cases of Bluetongue were confirmed, the Zones were changed and/or new control Zones established as necessary. On 2 November 2007, the names of the Zones were changed although the boundaries remained unaltered. The Control Zone became the Protection Zone and the Protection Zone became the Surveillance Zone.

The measures set out in legislation are aimed at preventing disease spread through, for example, restriction of animal movement and through vector control measures. Broadly, the controls can be summarised as follows:

  • Veterinary investigation on suspect premises, and restrictions which include a ban on movement of susceptible animals on and off the premises.
  • On confirmation that Bluetongue virus is circulating, restrictions remain in place and are extended to a zone of 20km radius around the infected premises (IP).
  • Wider Zones must also be declared:
            • a Protection Zone (PZ) (at least 100km radius around an IP) and a Surveillance Zone (SZ) (at least 50km in radius beyond the PZ). Together they are called the Bluetongue Restricted Zone.
  • We have some flexibility in demarcating the Bluetongue Zones (with Commission agreement), but various factors such as local geography must be taken into account. The size of the Bluetongue Zones in England is based on EU legislation for control of the disease and veterinary risk assessment.
Change of Zone names
The change to the names of the Bluetongue Zones results from a European Commission Regulation on Bluetongue, which came into force on 2 November 2007. It is enacted into law in England through the Bluetongue (Amendment) (No. 3) Order. The change in Zone names is to ensure that there is compatibility and comparability with other Members States and the European Commission, in terms of implementing control measures, monitoring and surveillance of disease, and reporting and sharing data. The disease control measures themselves will continue in line with the criteria agreed with industry in the UK Bluetongue Disease Control Strategy.
New Zone descriptions
  • The Restricted Zone is the overall area where restrictions apply and comprises the Surveillance Zone and the Protection Zone, and if required, the more tightly restricted disease control zone around infected premises.
  • The Surveillance Zone forms the outer area of the Restricted Zone and is at least 50km wide.
  • The Protection Zone forms the inner area of the Restricted Zone and is at least 100km radius surrounding infected premises.

Figure 1 shows how the Zones relate to one another.  Figure 2 shows the previous Zones in force. The key difference is that in the original deployment an extended Protection Zone was used with a more tightly restricted Control Zone. In order to make the licensing regime as straightforward as possible, a Surveillance Zone was not used. 

Figure 1 Bluetongue Restricted Zones from 2 November 2007

Figure 1 - Bluetongue Restricted Zones from 2 November 2007

Figure 2 Bluetongue Restricted Zones in force from 28 Sept to 2 November 2007

Figure 2 Bluetongue Restricted Zones in force from 28 Sept to 2 November 2007

Current Bluetongue Protection and Surveillance Zones

Details of current Zones in force are available on the movements guidance and licences page.

Interactive map - Search by postcode to see if you are in one or more of these Zones.

Movement licences

A number of movement licences are applicable to ruminants concerning their movement to slaughter and/or movement to live where the movement is from one Zone to another.

Following the change in names of the Bluetongue Zones, some Bluetongue movement licences have additional conditions. Check the licence conditions carefully to ensure you comply with them all.

Please see the movements guidance and licences page.

Will infected animals be slaughtered?

As Bluetongue is spread via vectors (i.e. midges), rather than from animal to animal, compulsory slaughter of ruminants infected with bluetongue would not normally form part of our control strategy.

 

Page last modified: 30 May, 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs