Bluetongue: Vaccination

Bluetongue - Complacency Costs!

Bluetongue - Complacency costs!Watch Defra’s Bluetongue video outlining why farmers can’t afford to be complacent about Bluetongue in 2009, featuring farmer Robert Law and Deputy Chief Vet Alick Simmons.

Latest situation on vaccination

7 May 2009
27 February 2009

Farmers and veterinary professionals are reminded that Bluetongue vaccines should not be used beyond their expiry date.

Intervet have worked with Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to investigate the possibility of extending the expiry dates on some of the early expiring stocks of vaccine. However, the medicines legislation does not allow for the extensions of shelf lives for products after they have entered the supply chain. This means that extensions are not possible. Livestock keepers should therefore continue to abide by the expiry dates given on the vaccine packaging.

Livestock keepers are reminded that the risk of infection significantly rises with warmer weather, so vaccinating at the earliest opportunity, before the risk of Bluetongue spread increases is paramount. Farmers wishing to order vaccine should speak to their vet as soon as possible.

Details of available vaccines, including usage and costare available.

16 December 2008

On 16 December, Minister of State for Farming, Jane Kennedy, announced that Defra will continue to promote voluntary vaccination against Bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV 8) in 2009.

Defra’s 2009 Delivery Plan (PDF 380 KB) for the vaccination of susceptible animals against BTV 8 has been developed in close partnership with industry stakeholders and continues the voluntary approach adopted this year.

There is a supply of 12 million doses of existing vaccine which Defra will make available for use next year, subject to expiry dates. Defra will not be underwriting further supplies of vaccine in 2009 but livestock keepers can purchase any of the three authorised BTV8 vaccines from Intervet, Merial or Fort Dodge. This flexibility provides farmers with a choice as to the best purchase options for their stock.

As at 1 September 2008, in line with our delivery plan for rolling out vaccine as it was delivered, all of England and Wales were brought into the Protection Zone, meaning all farmers now have the opportunity to vaccinate.

The whole of Scotland became a Protection Zone on 3 November, vaccination in Scotland is compulsory, for more details see the Scottish Executive website.

All livestock farmers are strongly encouraged to be vigilant and to vaccinate at the earliest possible opportunity.

Uptake of vaccine has varied by region and over time. Sales data from the supply chain suggests that enough vaccine has been sold across the whole of England in 2008 to vaccinate around 60% of susceptible animals.  Indicative sales figures suggest uptake in the South East of England – which was the first area to receive vaccine and the area in which circulating disease was first detected – was particularly high, perhaps at over 80-90%. The figures also suggest uptake elsewhere in the South of England was high, but in the North of England, which was brought into the Protection Zone in September, uptake in 2008 appears to have been markedly lower, at between 20 to 30%.

The declaration (PDF 360 KB) is available here.

General licences are now available for obtaining BTV8 Vaccine from manufacturers or wholesalers, and for vaccinating animals against Bluetongue (BTV8).

Further Information

Page last modified: 4 November, 2009