First UK report of BTV8 September 22 2007
First UK report of BTV1 November 25 2008
The Farmers Guardian guide to vaccination Spring 2009

July 2 2009 ~ Institute for Animal Health bluetongue and AHS experts will be available to talk with every day at the Royal Show (7-10 July, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire)

The Pirbright experts, who include Professor Dave Cavanagh, will be in the Global Science and Business Centre. A giant model midge will be hanging up nearby and a daily seminar will be held at 13.00 in the small meetings room within the GSBC. See www.horsemart.co.uk for full details.
(On African Horse Sickness (AHS), please see warmwell pages, updated today.)

July 1 2009 ~ No ban on imports

When Baroness Byford asked "Her Majesty's Government whether they will ban the importation of cattle and livestock from areas in Europe affected by bluetongue" the reply can be summed up by the word NO.
However, Lord Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DEFRA), gave a rather fuller reply (Hansard), urging farmers themselves " to consider the risks and check the health and vaccination status of livestock when sourcing susceptible animals from abroad".

June 26 2009 ~ "The only thing that will change this is an outbreak or scare. ... We thought we were doing a better job than that."

It has been encouraging that there has been little to report on Bluetongue in recent weeks - but it is highly discouraging that so many farmers have decided - in spite of so much urging from veterinary experts - not to vaccinate. The experienced Cumbrian vet, David Black, is quoted today in the Cumberland News
"I think people are being complacent about bluetongue. The only thing that I believe will change this is if we have an outbreak or scare. I can't see people taking any more notice of what we say. They plainly don't think it's worthwhile doing. We thought we were doing a better job than that."
Mr Black's Veterinary Group, Paragon, records that just 53 per cent of susceptible farm animals kept by its clients have been vaccinated since last September. "That figure rises significantly to 71 per cent for cattle vaccination alone".

June 13 2009 ~ "Scottish response to bluetongue disease where compulsory vaccination has been an incredible success story" Nicky Paull

The Scotsman today reports on the speech made by the President of the BVA. Extract:
"The BVA supported this programme throughout the consultation period and is pleased that there has been a take-up of well over 80 per cent of the vaccine. ... importing livestock from mainland Europe, where bluetongue is circulating, continues to be a risk..."
On bovine TB
"The failure of bTB to take hold in Scotland can again be linked to the strong legislative stance taken by the Scottish Government on pre- and post-movement testing of animals coming into your country. I am pleased to see that Scotland is considering applying for official bTB-free status."
And on traceability
"we share some of the industry's concerns that proposed scheme does not provide sufficient improvement over the current procedures to warrant the additional costs and practical difficulties."

June 11 2009 ~ Simon Hall, (who succeeds Charles Milne), will run Scotland's compulsory bluetongue vaccination campaign

He will also, according to the Farmer's Guardian, " lead a new animal disease eradication strategy and oversee plans to draw up new rules to help rid Scotland of diseases - including BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea), scrapie and bovine TB. The industry is currently drawing up plans for a new testing regime for BVD. Discussions are set to begin next month."

June 5 2009 ~ BVA's Nicky Paull says the veterinary profession was left in the dark about vaccine price cut.

The Farmers Guardian (Jack Davies) reports on the losses amounting to thousands of pounds faced by veterinary practices forced to sell vaccines - that they had bought at full price - at the half price Defra decided to put on the left over stocks. Nicky Paull said encouraging farmers to vaccinate remained the top priority and following a meeting with French farmers last week she said she was in 'no doubt' that the disease remains a very real threat.
"A number of vets who bought vaccine stocks at full price were left furious when Defra cut prices without warning, forcing them to follow suit and take a loss on their products."
The article quotes one practice whose partners felt the fact that this had happened threatened to undermine the industry's efforts to work closely with Defra. Some farmers have been asking for refunds. Nicky Paull is quoted explaining that although the "core group" had been privy to discussions about the price cut "the confidentiality of those discussions left the veterinary profession in the dark about the price cut".

June 2 2009 ~ Nigel Gibbens warns farmers to vaccinate.

The Met Office is predicting a hot summer - likely to boost culicoides numbers - and Nigel Gibbens, the Chief Veterinary Officer, is warning farmers not to be complacent about the threat. The Melton Times quotes the chairman of its local branch of the NFU, Charles Sercomb
"We would like to see more people vaccinate. The take-up in this area is quite good compared with other parts of the country where it is somewhat lacking. If farmers don't vaccinate we run the risk of catching it but I hope it doesn't come to that. I think farmers who are not vaccinating are convinced we won't have any trouble because last year it wasn't a major outbreak. But it is rife on the continent and playing havoc."
Ros Dean, a sheep farmer and Leicestershire chairman of the NFU, is also quoted: "There are some smiles on farmers' faces at the moment because we have had a good start to the season. But I think some people have a false sense of security. And we are not on a level playing field; farmers in France get compensation if their livestock get Bluetongue."

May 28 2009 ~ "With that threat now over.. "?

We read in the Sentinelthat this year's Staffordshire County Show. is back to its former glory: "more than 3,000 horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats will be paraded before judges at the annual two-day event, which began yesterday at the County Showground, in Weston Road, Stafford." The writer goes on to say, "Last year the number of cattle on parade was down nearly 40 per cent due to the threat of blue tongue disease. But with that threat now over, organisers are toasting a bumper entry level this time around."
With 15% quoted to Countryfile by DEFRA as the overall level of vaccination, one hope such optimism is not unfounded. We still remember the worry expressed by the Federation of European Vet (FVE) back in March 2008 when its president, Walter Winding, gave us a depressing insight into what our European neighbours seem to feel about the way UK disease control is handled;
"Irrespective of the disease outbreaks the UK has faced over recent years, it continues to cut budgets and to reduce its Animal Health Services...."
The FVE added that it was unlikely that the UK scheme
" ...would lead to a reliable overview of vaccination coverage, never mind export certification."

May 22 2009 ~ Rumours continue that vaccinates' fertility is affected. Why have these not been adequately scotched?

The Hexham Courant quotes Trevor Simpson, an auctioneer at Hexham and Northern Auction Marts: "It is a big cost to the farm and there has been an awful lot of stories that vaccinations can affect the fertility of both cattle and sheep... a high percentage had decided against it..." The paper also mentions the need for each animal to be injected three weeks apart, and that farmers - (very understandably) - are "unwilling to add to their already heavy workload"
But rumours about adverse reactions are very destructive and give farmers a false sense that opting out of vaccination is a reasonable option - which it is not. In France, a summary (in french) prepared by the French National Agency for veterinary medicinal products (ANMV-AFSSA) gives facts and figures
(our unofficial translation)"...The French National Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products keeps track of reports of adverse reactions (abortion and mortality mainly) and assesses the risk. In the case of serotype 8 vaccine, 1 to 2 animals in every 50,000 might show an adverse reaction, according to the Agency, while 1 to 2 animals in every 240.000 might die from the vaccine....adverse reactions are considered rare... a very slight increase in incidence compared to previous assessments - "likely due to differences between sales figures and the statement of the actual adverse effects"
Dr Patrick Dehaumont, Director of the Agency is very clear:
"With this record, there is no question of doubting the ratio of benefit to risk of vaccination. It protects livestock, protects breeding and limits the spread of disease."
(France, officially the European country most affected by Bluetongue in 2008, has had two isolated cases only this year so far and confidence is high that both strains will now fizzle out as a result of the compulsory vaccination programme.) .

May 21 2009 ~ Scotland. Nigel Miller says, "The vaccination programme has gone incredibly well"

In stark comparison to the UK's average of 15 % under their "voluntary" vaccination policy, it looks as though more than 95 per cent of susceptible livestock have been vaccinated in Scotland's compulsory campaign.
Dan Buglass in the Scotsman
"...Spot-checks will still be carried out. He says it is possible to move animals both north and south of the Border with few problems. The Scottish Veterinary Service is advising Scottish farmers not to contemplate buying livestock from England or Wales unless they have been vaccinated. Some pedigree cattle have been imported from "blue zones" on mainland Europe. They have been vaccinated and tested both on departure and arrival, but they will still be barred from all the major shows during the summer months.
Dan Buglass concludes: "Keeping Scotland free from bluetongue presents a huge opportunity in terms of the potential exports of pedigree cattle and sheep. Back in 2001 and, subsequently, after the food-and-mouth crisis confidence in UK, livestock hit a nadir and took a long time to recover. The general view is that if farmers play their part in disease surveillance, there will be some useful business openings..."

May 19 2009 ~ What does Bluetongue vaccination cost in France?

A example breakdown of the cost of vaccines, sent to all livestock farmers in France last November, showed that when vaccinating against both strain 1 and 8
a) for cattle, vaccinating a herd of 100 carries an overall cost of 683.80 euros of which the State pays 286.00. This leaves 397.80 for the farmers to pay for his 100 cows
b) for a flock of 300 sheep, the total is 606.07 euros of which the State pays 253.50euros, leaving 352,57 euros for the sheep farmer to pay.
This excludes the cost of each vet's visit (about £30) and the cost of the injecting of the vaccines - but these too were reimbursed at 50% up until December 2008. It is a little misleading to convert these prices into sterling - but today, 397 euros is about £350, while 352 euros is about £309)

May 19 2009 ~ Dr Watkins thanks all those who sent contact details for Countryfile.

She has been strongly supporting and advocating vaccination of all susceptible ruminants against BTV since 2007 and she took her policy to Brussels in Autumn 2007. She told Countryfile:
"... I vaccinated all my sheep and cattle last September against BTV8 so they are having their boosters this spring whilst the lambs are having their primary dose whilst still protected by passive antibody. I shall have to do the calves, some as yet unborn, when they come back from their summer grazing at the end of July.
However I do understand that many farmers, especially impoverished hill farmers with large flocks of sheep, find the cost of vaccination very onerous and hesitate to do it when the risk at present seems very small - whilst by contrast the threat of pasteurella and clostridia for example is ever present.
There are also financial worries looming like how to pay for EID of sheep, and the money that DEFRA will also take from farmers for the new cost sharing proposals if they are passed...."
See Dr Watkins BTV8 draft policy (On this website since November 2007)

May 19 2009 ~ 15% only across England and Wales

Countryfile's response to Dr Watkins' suggestion that reporting had been less than balanced included this surprising (to us) statistic:
"...While there are pockets of Wales and England with a high take up BTV8, it remains a fact that only 15% of farmers in those countries have vaccinated their flock. We checked this figure with DEFRA on Friday, to make sure that the situation hadn't changed since we shot the item....
With regard to the right and wrongs of charging for the vaccine and whether it should be compulsory, I would submit that they are questions which should be addressed to DEFRA. It is our job to report the current state of affairs, rather than comment on it...."
If the figure is a mere 15% across the country, the policy has failed.
Bluetongue is a painful and destructive disease and we are about to enter the danger period. That English and Welsh flocks remain vulnerable at a time when even the French with their compulsory and subsidised scheme are now far more adequately protected and confident, seems a dangerous situation for Britain. Putting the blame on hard-pressed farmers who were given a voluntary policy does not seem helpful.

May 18 2009 ~ "There is no facility to email Countryfile with my views on their unbalanced reporting..."

This email from the virologist and farmer, Ruth Watkins, expresses her frustration at the BBC's Countryfile programme yesterday in which Alick Simmons Deputy Chief Vet) said it was irresponsible of farmers not to have vaccinated "...Although the Cumbrian farmer said that vaccinating his sheep would cost £3000 at least including, the lambs and he could not afford it, this was not followed up by Craven.  How much it would have cost a similar farmer in Scotland was not discussed, nor the fact that we are the only country in Europe to insist on a voluntary vaccination policy..." The email should be read in full. Interestingly, the difficulty of vaccinating lambs in efficient batches when they are born over a fairly lengthy period is also discussed. She says, "Many farmers are vaccinating in Wales at the moment; the local vets can't get enough of the vaccine."

May 15 2009 ~ Scottish buyers don't want unvaccinated store cattle from England

The compulsory Scots vaccination campaign, now completed, means that Scottish buyers have been staying away from store cattle sales in Northern England (in England, bluetongue vaccination is, of course, 'voluntary') because they would then have to have the new animals vaccinated and kept separate for a month. The Cumberland News quotes the BVA's Kim Haywood: "... Similar problems are anticipated at the north of England's breeding sales if Scottish buyers decide to stay away from these too because too few cattle have completed their bluetongue protection."

May 15 2009 ~ France: The 2 confirmed cases which slipped through the 80% vaccination campaign in Maine-et-Loire

Very little more information yet and no indication of which strain. We do know from www.cholet.maville.com that the two farms in which the cases have been confirmed have since been vaccinated. One of the farms had been about to be vaccinated anyway - but had not been because it was at the bottom of the vets' list. Symptoms appeared a few days ago and suspicions were aroused when one calf died. The article notes that 372 farms were affected last year and predicts that the vaccination campaign will have made a huge difference this year.

May 14/15 2009 ~ Two more cases in France

Two cases of Bluetongue have been found in France. A calf has died. The farms concerned (at which vaccination, it appears, has now taken place) are in the Maine-et-Loire department of western France. More detail on Friday in www.ouest-france.fr

May 13 2009 ~15^oC - a key temperature which is recognised to raise midge activity and enable the bluetongue virus to replicate.

The NFU site says,
"Mild spring temperatures have already topped 15 degrees Celsius... The Met Office's long-range forecast... indicated that this summer will be warmer than normal with rainfall near or below average. With the risk of infection now increasing on a daily basis, the JAB campaign is encouraging farmers to vaccinate.."
JAB is quoted:
"...We know that adult midges are rapidly increasing in numbers and that they are now biting livestock....we urge farmers to speak with their vet as soon as possible and order the vaccine today."
Meanwhile, Jack Davies reports in the Farmers Guardian that the discount of 50% on vaccine was "having an effect on uptake.... reduced price vaccine is being sold in 100ml bottles and while produced by Merial, it is owned and sold by Defra through veterinary wholesalers. There are still stocks of smaller bottles available from vets and with vaccine fast going out of date some have also decided to reduce the price of their own stock."

May 11 2009 ~ "a number of scanning and targeted surveillance measures in place..."

In answer to the question "...what mechanisms are in place to (a) prevent and (b) monitor the import and spread of bluetongue disease in summer 2009?" Jane Kennedy (Hansard) spoke of
"restrictions set out in Annex III of the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007 (as amended)"
and mentioned without any clear definition of what they were
" a number of scanning and targeted surveillance measures in place to monitor Bluetongue in the UK as detailed in the UK-wide Bluetongue Control Strategy"
From 1 April 2009, there has been double testing of imports
"to ensure that disease is picked up in both its early and late stages"
The disease is "additionally controlled" through vaccine, she said. (She did not mention that it was the voluntary policy that had left 12 million doses of vaccine being sold off half-price to those who hadn't yet vaccinated. Those who, in good time, had chosen to protect their animals, paid the full price.)
Intervet, Merial and Fort Dodge, all authorised to market vaccine in the UK, "should meet the demand for BTV-8 vaccine in 2009," she added. Read in full

May 11 2009 ~ Dai Davies warns the Welsh

All remaining bluetongue vaccine stocks in Wales will be discounted by 50% as in England (see post below) and NFU Cymru President, Dai Davies is quoted on www.newswales.co.uktoday:
"Recent figures show that there has been an increase in the first three months of this year in the uptake of the BTV8 vaccine in Wales and we appreciate the great lengths that many farmers have already gone to to ensure their livestock is protected. ... midge activity is rising and the risk of disease circulating is greatly increased...There is no Government compensation for any losses sustained due to bluetongue and our fate is largely in our own hands as far as this disease is concerned. My firm advice remains don't wait - vaccinate."

May 7 2009 ~ Bluetongue vaccine prices to be cut

In the hope of encouraging more farmers to vaccinate their livestock with the 7.5 million of the 28 million doses left unsold. DEFRA says it will reduce the price it sells vaccine to wholesalers from 44p per millilitre to 22p per millilitre from today. Suppliers are then expected to charge between 33p-39p per millilitre plus Vat instead of 66-79p. Nigel Gibbens, chief veterinary officer, is quoted by Farmers Weekly
"...With midges already active, and the Met Office predicting a warmer summer .. conditions for the spread of bluetongue may be ideal. Livestock keepers should take this opportunity to buy their vaccine at a discounted price, before the government stocks are no longer available."
Nicky Paull (BVA) is quoted as saying she fully sympathised with farmers who would be thinking they could have vaccinated livestock much more cheaply had they only waited to do so. Peter Morris (National Sheep Association) says, "Vaccine is better in animals than on shelves. But the government must not be seen to be rewarding those producers who didn't bother to vaccinate at the expense of those who were responsible and reacted swiftly."
See also http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2009/090507a.htm

May 3 2009 ~ ProMed's comment on the BTV1 outbreak in France

(see posting below) The latest ProMed posting on bluetongue carries this moderator's comment:
"It will be interesting to note if this case is a new (clinically manifested?) infection, heralding -- rather early -- the 2009 bluetongue season, which would have normally be expected not earlier than June, or just a serological evidence of an older infection. It would also help to note if the affected animal(s) is/are of local or foreign origin."
Read in full

May 1 2009 ~ Yesterday was the deadline for all Scottish farmers to have their livestock protected against the virus. Cumbrians now urged to vaccinate

Cumberland News today quotes Alistair Mackintosh, National Farmers' Union (NFU) livestock board chairman, who says that since the vaccine costs around 55 pence per dose, it makes good financial sense.
"Effectively we are all within the same protection zone when it comes to movement of animals. If I'm planning on trading with Scotland it's therefore within my best interests to vaccinate. When you have cattle worth £1,000 or sheep worth £100 surely it is worth your while to pay the 55 pence to protect them?" Since there is no compensation payable for Bluetongue in Britain, the disease, he says ".. can have devastating effects on sheep flocks and although cattle can recover, it takes time."
Read article

April 30 2009 ~ Bluetongue returns to France - in an alpaca

bourse.challenges.fr (our translation) "In an official statement, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries reports the first recurrence in 2009 of Bluetongue (serotype 1) - at Lavigney in the Haute-Saône (Eastern France) an alpaca has been confirmed positive for BTV1. In the regulated zone only vaccinated animals from now on are allowed to move. Michel Barnier,the French Agriculture Minister reminds farmers that vaccination of both sheep and cattle must be completed as soon as possible, since vaccination is the only effective means to fight against Bluetongue."

April 24 2009 ~ DEFRA's "tough new import testing regime" planned - after criticism about wasted vaccine

Wasted money from unsold vaccine comes at an unfortunate time. Jack Davies in today's Farmers Guardian reports that,
"Defra continues to face criticism over the potential waste of millions of doses of vaccine after it was revealed officials were warned of the situation in October last year"
DEFRA may well have to dispose of millions of doses of vaccine because of the poor voluntary uptake. The FG says that Defra was warned six months ago that it would be unable to sell all its stock. Had they approached other Member States then it would probably have been sold.
There will now be a
"new stringent testing regime .... sheep and cattle will be tested twice - one to two days after arriving in the country, and again seven days later."
And we read that DEFRA is now "pushing through licences for vaccines against BTV1" However, as we read in Hansard, Jane Kennedy has not tendered for supplies of it. Imported stock infected with new strains is now likely to be killed "to prevent the spread of disease" (Since animals themselves are not contagious and it requires the bite from an infected culicoides midge to cause bluetongue, killing any animal returning a positive test seems unnecessary - and may perhaps be more of a political move to satisfy the ignorant rather than for any sound veterinary reason - but informed comment would be very welcome on this point.)

April 23 2009 ~ Jane Kennedy: No orders have been placed for supplies of BTV-1 vaccine

Asked in a written question by Oliver Letwin whether DEFRA has placed an order for serotype 1 Bluetongue vaccine, she replied (Hansard) that DEFRA has not done so.
"DEFRA continues to closely monitor the disease situation in Europe and are working with experts and vaccine manufacturers to consider possible disease incursion scenarios so we are able to deploy proportionate responses if the threat of a BTV-1 disease incursion increases significantly."
(How quickly Ministers seem to succumb to the incomprehensibility of DEFRAspeak with its spilt infinitives, bizarre choice of word, and non-agreement of subject and verb. Is "DEFRA" singular or plural? Language matters. When political answers become difficult to follow it bodes ill for the common sense of policies. )

April 23 2009 ~ French Minister praises the biggest vaccination campaign ever undertaken in France

Michel Barnier, the French Agriculture Minister thanked all participants at a meeting yesterday for their efforts in the vaccination campaign. There have been no reports so far of virus circulating in France this year. He is quoted on the french website www.web-agri.fr:
".. Aucun foyer dû à la circulation virale 2009 n'a été déclaré en France," souligne le Ministère.
By April 15, 42% of susceptible livestock had already been vaccinated before the legal deadline at the end of the month.

April 22/23 2009 ~"reaching the key temperature of 15C has made the need to protect livestock against the disease critical..."

The Chief Vet for Wales, Dr Christianne Glossop, is quoted today in FWi:
"The rise in temperature triggers midge activity and the ability of the bluetongue virus to replicate. We have heard upland farmers assuming their animals are not at risk, but they should not be complacent. It is entirely possible that there are areas within every locality where the midge that carries the virus can flourish."
She also warned that it was not sensible to wait until the disease was found close to a farm since it takes three weeks after completing a course of vaccine for animals to be fully immunised.

April 22/23 2009 ~Fort Dodge Zulvac 8 Ovis® Bluetongue sheep vaccine is now licensed and available in the UK from vets.

The company believes that the product will provide significant benefits to sheep farmers. Full details are in their press release which quotes David Bartram MRCVS, Veterinary Technical Manager at Fort Dodge :
"Sheep farmers have been waiting for a Bluetongue vaccine which offers a cost effective solution to vaccination - particularly for animals which received their primary course last year and are simply in need of a booster. We expect the fact that it's licensed for use in pregnant sheep to also prove attractive. Zulvac 8 Ovis® is the latest addition to Fort Dodge's Zulvac range for both cows and sheep. It is already used in Europe and has helped protect millions of animals."

April 20 2009 ~ BTV origin in Europe: " no single convincing hypothesis has been proposed"

The Microbiology Blog www.microbiologybytes.com:
"... Despite widespread speculation regarding the exact origin of BTV-8 as the strain of the virus found in northern Europe, no single convincing hypothesis has been proposed. Although future full-genome sequencing might assist this task (as was the case in the incursion of West Nile virus into North America), the small number of reference strains of BTV-8 from areas of potential origin collected before the incursion into northern Europe makes it unlikely that this approach will provide unambiguous evidence. As long as our understanding of the potential routes of virus introduction remains poor, we will be unable to accurately estimate the potential for future introductions of BTV, as has been illustrated by the more recent detection of BTV-6 in Europe, or of other midge-borne arboviruses, such as African horse sickness virus (AHSV)..."
Read in full. Dr Alan Cann remarks that although "the technology to produce safe, effective, inactivated vaccines existed, no coordinated action was taken by any Member State of the European Union (EU) to begin production of a BTV-8 vaccine until late 2007, when the full damage began to become evident. This was in part due to the assumption that the virus would not overwinter under northern European conditions (despite the fact that BTV had been documented overwintering successfully in other areas with far cooler winter temperatures)."

April 16 2009 ~ Beware maternal transmission non-vaccinating farmers are warned

Jonathan Long's article in FWi today quotes Ian Anderson, Intervet Schering Plough's product manager, who said experience of the disease in Holland had shown that BTV8 could be transmitted to unborn calves (and lambs) before their immune systems were fully prepared and could then go on to be reservoirs of disease once they were born.
"There's no clear cut answer as to when the disease is transferred across the placenta to the calf, but it's likely to be in the first trimester of pregnancy, as the calf's immune system isn't fully active at that point and the calf won't recognise the virus as being a foreign organism. We've heard many cattle farmers suggest they aren't overly worried about vaccinating against BTV8 if cattle only show mild symptoms and then go on to develop natural immunity to the disease. But if these farmers don't vaccinate their cattle and cows then become infected early in pregnancy there is a high chance their calves will be born infected."
The article goes on to describe symptoms in calves to look out for. It adds that anyone considering importing in-calf cattle should think carefully before going ahead even when the cattle themselves show no indication of active disease, as their calves could be infected.

April 14 2009 ~ Jersey now vaccinating against serotype 1

Zulvac® 1 is currently awaiting its UK licence. However, because of its proximity to the threat of serotype 1 from France, Jersey has been provided with Fort Dodge's Zulvac® 1 vaccine against Serotype 1 Bluetongue (BTV-1) in cattle and sheep under the terms of a Special Export Licence from the French Government. Full details are in this press release from Fort Dodge. (Jersey cattle photo by Derrick Frigot, past president of the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society)

April 13 2009 ~ Dutch admit mistake with stranded heifers

A www.agd.nl article says that the Dutch VWA has admitted making a mistake with the two heifers which are stranded in Stranraer. The vet thought that Ireland was a BT-area, while it has in reality a BT-free status, VWA says. The Dutch authorities will allow the return of the animals.
"De Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit (VWA) erkent een fout te hebben gemaakt bij het certificeren van twee vaarzen voor export naar Ierland. "De dierenarts dacht dat Ierland tot de blauwtongbesmette gebieden behoorde. Het heeft echter een vrije status", aldus VWA. Van Nederland mogen de dieren terug. In Schotland, waar de dieren waren bij het ontdekken van de fout, is veel ophef over de kwestie."
Grateful thanks to Ruud Peys for this link.

April 9 2009 ~ Benefit of bluetongue vaccine remains unchallenged - says a summary prepared by the French National Agency for veterinary medicinal products (ANMV-AFSSA)

The information on the french website www.pleinchamp.com ( unofficial translation) suggests that adverse effects from vaccines are rare. The French National Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products keeps track of reports of adverse reactions (abortion and mortality mainly) and assesses the risk. In the case of serotype 8 vaccine, 1 to 2 animals in every 50,000 might show an adverse reaction, according to the Agency, while 1 to 2 animals in every 240.000 might die from the vaccine. While adverse reactions are considered rare, there is a very slight increase in incidence compared to previous assessments - "likely due to differences between sales figures and the statement of the actual adverse effects" says Dr Patrick Dehaumont, Director of the Agency
"With this record, there is no question of doubting the ratio of benefit to risk of vaccination. It protects livestock, protects breeding and limits the spread of disease."
(As of 5 March 2009 France, officially the European country most affected by Bluetongue in 2008, has had a total of 32,321 affected premises (serotypes 1 et 8) reported. Source (in french) www.agoraflux.com

April 9 2009 ~ The importation of cattle from the Netherlands to the Republic of Ireland has left two Dutch animals stranded at Stranraer.

It was discovered at Larne that two of the six Dutch cows had been pregnant before being vaccinated. According to the NFU, legislation not only needs to be tightened but also properly enforced by all member states. The European requirements on movements between Europe's BTV8 zone - which includes the Netherlands - and a BTV-free zone like Ireland meant that Ireland refused entry and the two unfortunate cows were sent back to Stranraer - where the Scottish Government is, according to the Farmers Guardian, "considering its options as to how it deals with the cattle involved." Our understanding is that it is highly unlikely that these two vaccinated cows could present any real risk - particularly when vaccination of Scotland's own livestock is compulsory and should be completed by April 30 - but informed comments would be welcome.

April 6 2009 ~ Welsh Assembly says it may sell off unused vaccine to other EU countries

There are 5.25 million unused doses of BTV-8 vaccine in Wales. The Farmers Guardian quotes NFU Cymru president, Dai Davies. Extract:
".... if the Assembly takes the decision to sell off the remaining doses of unused vaccine abroad then availability will be entirely dependent on market forces and the likely cost of vaccine will rise by 10-15 per cent in this country.
.....The opportunity ...to vaccinate stock at a time that suits their business and before the weather warms up and midge activity increases. ...There remains a serious risk of disease .... I am again urging all Welsh farmers to vaccinate now."
Read FG article.

April 6 2009 ~The first combined vaccine against both strain BTV8 and BTV1 has been developed for Europe by Fort Dodge

Fort Dodge has already obtained a provisional licence for the use of combination vaccines Zulvac®1+8 Bovis and Zulvac® 1+8 Ovis vaccine in Spain. Their press release is here. Extract:
"... The development of the new vaccine was triggered by recent outbreaks of both Serotypes of the disease in the same area of France and Spain. The company says that the Bluetongue Serotypes 1 and 8 restriction zones are overlapping more and more as Serotype 1 moves rapidly further north and Serotype 8 moves south.
Fort Dodge has obtained a provisional licence for the use of combination vaccines Zulvac ®1+8 Bovis and Zulvac® 1+8 Ovis vaccine in Spain. ... The combination vaccines are produced at its manufacturing plant in Olot, Spain... "
Read in full With serotype 1 reported in Brittany in November, the threat from both strain 1 and 8 is real and a combined vaccine should be made available as soon as possible for UK flocks and herds.
(However, there seems to be no real risk from other strains - BTV6 and BTV11 - reported. See report for March 16 below: "No bluetongue clinical disease for either strain has been observed in the field or under experimental conditions.")

April 1 2009 ~ Fort Dodge vet, David Bartram, says, non-immune calves "must not be vaccinated before the immune system is able to effect a durable response to the vaccine"

Warmwell.com is very grateful to David Bartram, BVetMed MRCVS DipM MCIM CDipAF, Fort Dodge's Animal Health vet:
"The issue of the lag period before full protection is obtained is not unique to BTV vaccines; it applies when a preventive vaccination campaign is started for any disease. It is important to use any veterinary medicinal product in strictly in line with the marketing authorisation (MA) for the country concerned (reflected in the product labelling). With any BTV vaccine, calves from naive cows must not be vaccinated before the immune system is able to effect a durable response to the vaccine; and calves from vaccinated cows must be vaccinated after the risk of interference from maternally derived antibodies from the colostrum has passed. For the most effective control of BTV, ensure that stock have completed vaccination before the midge risk period (or as soon as possible if the stock are born during the risk period) and always follow the manufacturers' instructions"

April 1 2009 ~ Professor Peter Mertens warns that virus can travel like "aerial plankton"

Professor Mertens, from the Institute for Animal Health, told the Society for General Microbiology in Britain that www.horsetalk.co.nz/news:"In experiments, a single bite from a fully infected midge can transmit the Bluetongue virus and, as midges are blown across Europe "like aerial plankton", it is almost impossible to prevent them getting to Britain....
..the whole region is now at risk from further incursions of Bluetongue virus, as well as other insect transmitted viruses, many of which can also affect humans."
He said that it is clear that present vaccines can work against BTV-8
"However, more advanced vaccines, made from the protein-subunits of the virus, along with diagnostic tests that can distinguish vaccinated from infected animals, are urgently needed."

March 31 2009 ~ " losing a cow would cost more than vaccination"

An article in FWi looks at France today where the financial penalty for not vaccinating after April 30 means that France is already ahead with vaccinating their flocks and herds. The article quotes a farmer in Brittany, Nigel Ford, who used to farm in Oswestry.
"With BTV1 and BTV8 moving up from south-east France last year we were placed in an observation zone. For me this meant there was a real risk cows could contract the disease, so we didn't think twice about vaccinating. Averaging about 10,000 litres means there is not much room to play with and losing just one cow out of the small herd would significantly affect the amount of milk produced."
He understands the need for the highest possible coverage when the wild deer population could be harbouring disease. His vet took just 10 minutes to inject 30 cows with the two separate bluetongue vaccinations. He says that the " Groupement de Défense Sanitaire (GDS) involved in the management of animal health is so stringent it doesn't even let diseases like BVD and IBR go endemic, as is the case in the UK. Animals are being tested all the time and having a clean herd is important if you want to trade." Read in full

March 30 2009 ~ "The vaccination against bluetongue disease is not responsible for the blood sweaters, says expert Distl"

Der Spiegel has an article on the mysterious and frightening phenomenon of the cases of deaths of very young calves from an Ebola-like disease - so-called 'blood-sweaters' - on German farms. It quotes Ottmar Distl of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover
"calves of mothers that were not vaccinated have also contracted the illness."
The article says that scientists believe that genetic defects are also unlikely to be a cause, because calves from three different breeds are affected. Viral or bacterial infection also seem unlikely since the animals are not infecting each other. As for pesticides or GM feed, Distl says that "the distribution of cases simply does not bear this out." See also below:

March 30 2009 ~ Blood sweaters: "there may also be something new to science.... Antibodies derived from BVD (Bovine Virus Diarrhea) vaccine and bluetongue antibodies present in colostrum may fix together in individual cells in calves of certain genetic make ups....

The latest Pro Med posting recommends the freezing and storing of the affected colostrum: Extract:
" It is still unlikely but just possible that some form of toxin in forage (i.e. bracken fern family, or coumarins produced by fungi and molds) are being eaten by the mothers and concentrated in the colostrum.
(2) If BVD-vaccinated herds are involved, there may also be something new to science. Antibodies derived from BVD (Bovine Virus Diarrhea) vaccine and bluetongue antibodies present in colostrum may fix together in individual cells in calves of certain genetic make ups, thus provoking an autoimmune response. This might take 2-3 weeks to appear clinically. The fact that a herd is not vaccinated against BT does not mean it has not been field challenged, and, therefore, if only one BVD vaccine is involved, this would be worth following carefully, and the vaccine manufacturer may take interest. The stored colostrum could be useful for following up this line of enquiry..."
Read posting in full

March 29 2009 ~ "waiting in the hope that a dual strain vaccine is around the corner will leave you susceptible this summer to infection. " Nicky Paull

The BVA President is quoted in FWi. She says that for farmers who did vaccinate last year, cattle will only need a single shot. "Vaccinating now will give protection before turnout and avoids the hassle of gathering animals back from grass." If everyone waits until there is a hint of the disease, "a mad rush for vaccine could see insufficient stocks available..."
"Any bought in cattle of unknown vaccine status or youngstock who missed out on protection last year will need two injections three weeks apart. Vaccinating now will also make sure there is enough vaccine available. .. I cannot see many practices keen to have large vaccines stocks after the financial disaster for several practices, where out of date vaccines had to be thrown away.... rumours of an all in one vaccine covering strains 8 and 1 are delaying decisions to boost with BTV8 vaccine alone. We do not yet have a vaccine against BTV1 licensed for use in the UK, although the licensing process is gearing up for one. But when it does come it will be a single strain vaccine, so waiting in the hope that a dual strain vaccine is around the corner will leave you susceptible this summer to infection."
Read in full

March 28 2009 ~ Information received about Merial's BTVPUR AlSap 8 vaccine and young stock

Warmwell is very grateful to Sharon Cooksey BVSc, MRCVS, Veterinary Manager at Merial Animal Health Ltd whose email informs us that the new full licence (as a result of further studies submitted to the EMEA) has new data and recommendations on its use in youngstock. As she points out, new recommendations can only be included on a licence if they are backed up by study data to approve the change. She says that BTVPUR AlSap 8 is the only vaccine licensed which prevents viraemia in a vaccinated animal challenged by BTV8 disease. The vaccine can be used from 1 month in animals born to non vaccinated dams and from 2.5 months in animals born to vaccinated or immune dams.
"It is worth pointing out that this statement regarding minimum age of vaccination has been fully assessed and validated by the European Medicines Agency," she adds.
Some immunity is conferred by a single dose in cattle but a second dose is required to result in a sustainable immunity and to ensure full protection against viraemia. The licence also includes full results of work done to support safe use throughout pregnancy in sheep, and interim results demonstrating safety for at least the last trimester in cattle ( this work is ongoing) The dose interval for cattle for Merial's BTVPUR AlSap 8 vaccine has changed and the second dose can now be given be given at 3 -4 weeks after the first. Read full email.

March 27 2009 ~ what percentage of livestock farmers in each region have vaccinated their livestock against bluetongue disease

Roger Williams asked the question yesterday. Jane Kennedy's reply included her justification for a non-compulsory campaign and the miserable figures for the North West 27% and the North East 26%

March 26 2009 ~ Merial ready to respond to readers' questions about timing for the vaccination of young lambs and calves. Fort Dodge too is "on the case"

Warmwell.com is very grateful to Merial and to Fort Dodge for their very prompt initial reply to our vaccine queries and we are confident that we shall soon be able to post detailed information or advice.

March 25 2009 ~ "The entire country's livestock industry is at stake if we fail to protect our flocks and herds"

Farmers Weekly quotes NFUS president Jim McLaren following the news that latest figures from the Scottish government show only 49.21% of holdings have been vaccinated. Producers there have until April 30 2009 to vaccinate all cattle and sheep - or face a possible fine of £5000.
FWi "....Chief Vet Charles Milne said the statistics were largely in line with projected estimates, he insisted he would not be happy with anything less than 100% adherence to the programme which was agreed in consultation with the industry. ....I expect a big upsurge over the next three to four weeks when livestock is brought in for lambing or calving, so I am cautiously optimistic that we will hit the target."

March 23 2009 ~ Questions and queries - Bluetongue Conference March 30

There was a plea for detailed and comprehensible information
• ...about vaccination experience noted in the field according to type and age of animal, number of pregnant animals vaccinated (per vaccine manufacturer) results of any untoward 'reactions' in pregnant animals (per vaccine manufacturer and by type of animal) and so on. "Obviously," writes the questioner, " these would be of farmer's experience and not be carefully controlled field trials, though the details of the manufacturers own trials should also be made available."
Then there is the practical issue of when to vaccinate newborn animals if the newborns in the low prevalence area are born to non-vaccinated mothers.
• Have manufactures trialled their vaccines in young non-immune animals? The manufacturers prescribe different timescales - possibly forgetting the danger that young unvaccinated animals can be left in that state for several months.
Please do continue to send any questions you might have. (See below)

March 23 2009 ~ Questions and queries - Bluetongue Conference March 30

Queries included
• "Why are we not included?" - a questioning of the strange reluctance DEFRA seems to have about including in their deliberations the increasing numbers of livestock owners who do not fall into the category of "industry". Is this owing to their efforts to transfer cost and responsibility to "industry" farmers?
More and more people are now keeping farm animals along with their desire to produce fresh vegetables ("partly thanks to the government's consistent failure to support agriculture" writes a questioner. "Remember how hard it was for them to find everyone who was keeping poultry when H5N1 was found?")
When one remembers the difficulties encountered in 2007 when it was suddenly realised that there were no crushes, no portable, safe cattle handling equipment for use of the farms and smallholdings where emergency testing had to take place, it might be thought that everyone with a stake in animal health policy might be represented at last. That this is apparently not the case and that small scale farming is left out of the equation even more is worrying to say the least.
UPDATE A reader writes, "Anyone can ask to participate, I do not know of any bar to entry, but obviously too many people or too many 'start from the beginning' queries would ultimately destroy what is an effective working group...hobbyist/ self sufficiency guys are anathema to the smooth running (sic) MAFF/DEFRA machine."

March 20 2009 ~ Bluetongue Stakeholder Conference on Monday 30th March

A reader writes, "I am writing with a request - I am planning to attend the forthcoming Bluetongue Stakeholder Conference on Monday 30th March.... I am slightly at a loss as to know what to say (if anything) in advance; going to listen is ok, and I expect I will be supporting initiatives in any way that I can...but am wondering if you could ask your readers if they have any points or queries that they would like me to take (if I can - no guarantees)."
If anyone does have a question or query that might be useful, no matter what the content might be, please do get in touch so that it can be passed on. Very many thanks in advance to anyone who does so.

March 19 2009 ~ Approval for Merial's BTVPUR AlSap 8 in 5 days instead of six weeks

"The European Commission has shortened its vaccine approval working time in order to grant full marketing authorisation for Merial's BTVPUR AlSap8. This recognizes the key role of vaccination in responding to the threat of bluetongue. Approval for Merial's BTVPUR AlSap 8 - the only bluetongue vaccine so far to have received full approval by the Commission - was announced on Monday, 16th March. The EC took five days for the written procedure part of the approval process, a move that cut some six weeks from the expected approval time...." FoodEast has more detail.

March 19 2009 ~ First batch of BTV8 vaccine expired on March 1, 35,000 doses are to be thrown away in England.

...and in total, five million bluetongue doses in Wales are also in danger of having to be discarded. Andrew Forgrave in the Daily Post - writes that vaccine doses "worth an estimated £3m may have to be written off in Wales if farmers fail to jab their animals this spring. Some 5.25 million doses are available for use in Wales but they are all due to expire over the months up to June..." Read in full

March 16 2009 ~ 95% of cattle were vaccinated in Holland last year because farmers were actually seeing cows with bluetongue symptoms.

The Dutch vet Karin van Heuven-van Kats has visited Lancashire with a sombre message. FWi quotes her: "Farmers in the UK haven't seen enough cases ...Seeing is believing." Dutch farmers "saw exactly what this virus could do and they didn't want it to happen again. So they vaccinated and I must urge all cattle farmers in the UK to do the same. You have the opportunity to avoid the massive problems suffered by Dutch farmers...."
She said that vaccination had caused no ill effects and "Where farmers did contact us to say there had been a death the day after vaccination, the animal was always subjected to rigorous tests. In every case the cause of death had no link to the vaccination."

March 16 2009 ~ The BTV6 zone in the Netherlands and Germany was lifted as of 5 March.

(Apologies for not adding to the report below that since both countries were able to present evidence to the EU Commission suggesting that no virulent BTV6 virus strain has circulated and that positive test results could most probably be explained by the use of a modified live vaccine the temporary control zone was lifted.)
The BTV11 temporary control zone in Belgium was also lifted as of 5 March in a situation similar to that of the Dutch and Germans. No bluetongue clinical disease for either strain has been observed in the field or under experimental conditions.
The SCoFCAH statement
(It is unfortunate that some journalists have unwittingly reinforced farmers' fears about BTV6 and BTV11. The Cumberland News, for example, reported on March 13 that "BTV6" was "also circulating in Europe")

March 14 2009 ~ "one or two farmers had asked: should we bother to vaccinate..."

The Lowestoft Journal: "....Norfolk farmer Roger Long, who has been at the forefront of the vaccination campaign, said this week:
"I think that farmers are more conscientious in this region, but I worry whether there is a degree of complacency creeping in...The vets are now getting the new vaccine. Make sure that you've got your order with your vet and get the job done as soon as possible."
....David Ball, who runs Norwich Livestock Market and farms near Southwold, had just given all his out-wintered cows a bluetongue vaccine booster. "We vaccinated 325 in one day and checked tags and then re-checked..."

March 13 2009 ~ French farmers warned that vector activity has resumed

The French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has issued a note that marks the end of the vector free period (March 11) and warns of the resumption of surveillance and protective measures against insects. "La présente note a pour objet de vous informer de la reprise de l'activité vectorielle et de ses conséquences en terme de gestion des foyers, de surveillance sentinelle et de mesures de désinsectisation."
Meanwhile, in Cumbria, the Cumberland News reports that, in spite of the urgent arguments of Jakob Pustjens (see below) who has just visited Longtown and Carlisle, there are still farmers who - even now - are reluctant to vaccinate. One farmer, who is well aware that some farmers are looking for reasons not to vaccinate is quoted: "I think the Government should make it compulsory."

March 11 2009 ~ Scots are no longer importing animals susceptible to Bluetongue

The Farmers Guardian reports that they are " turning their backs on imported animals in a bid to keep the country free of bluetongue" New figures from the Scottish Government that confirm no susceptible animals were imported into Scotland during January and February - compared to 67 in the first quarter of 2008.

March 10/11 2009 ~ EU Bluetongue vaccines show a "good safety record"

See www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/general/direct/pr/5679409en.pdf
"A European Medicines Agency (EMEA) review of field safety data provided mainly by Member States from the 2008 emergency vaccination campaign against bluetongue disease has shown a good safety record for the vaccines used across the EU Member States during that period. Overall, the frequency of adverse drug reactions was very low (< 1:10 000) and the results support the continued use of inactivated bluetongue vaccines in the 2009 vaccination programme."
See also "An overview of field safety data from the EU for Bluetongue virus vaccines serotype 8 emerging from the 2008 national vaccination campaigns" www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/vet/press/pos/65201908en.pdf Extract "..... taking into account the extremely high number of vaccine doses used the frequency of adverse reactions is always "very rare". Overall the pharmacovigilance data provided by the MS demonstrate a good safety record for all vaccines used during the 2008 vaccination campaign."

March 9 2009 ~" the public are not aware of these regional breeds and their significance in defining our countryside..."

Professor Diana Bowles, founder of the Sheep Trust, hopes a new study will " kick-start new protective initiatives" from DEFRA for "heritage breeds". Unlike rare breeds, which have legal protection, heritage breeds - defined as genetically distinct, geographically concentrated and adapted to their environments - are not considered by the law as endangered.
The Sheep Trust was the organisation that helped to conserve sheep breeds threatened with extinction in 2001 and the genetic resources of Heritage Sheep Breeds are not protected by any other organisation. The Sheep Trust has, for the first time, mapped 16 heritage sheep breeds across the country using state-of-the-art modelling technology and a detailed flock census. Breeds that tend to be concentrated within one area could, unless properly protected by vaccination, suffer devastating losses from an outbreak of a disease such as bluetongue. The Farmers Guardian on Friday said, "Apart from encouraging Defra to intervene, Prof Bowles said it was imperative to develop markets to secure the long-term future of heritage breeds... their significance in defining our countryside...we need the public to be asking for these breeds and we need to work with supermarkets to supply them."

March 8 2009 ~ MP Geoffrey Cox is calling for all livestock farmers to take advantage of the next few weeks and vaccinate their animals against Bluetongue before the warmer weather sets in.

The MP for Torridge and West Devon is quoted by the North Devon Gazette "During 2008, I and many others campaigned vigorously for the Bluetongue vaccine to be available to farmers in Devon and also for a coherent policy on Bluetongue movement restrictions. It would be devastating to see a rise of cases during 2009 and I urge all livestock farmers to take note of the JAB campaign and get their animals vaccinated against this disease."

March 6 2009 ~ JAB 2009 says, "Take advantage and vaccinate your animals before turning them out to protect them from the threat of bluetongue."

Merial, Intervet and Fort Dodge vaccines are still available. Extract from the joint statement from JAB (see JAB associations )
"In 2008 we were very fortunate not to see a re-emergence of the bluetongue virus in England, while France reported a dramatic increase .... we cannot over-emphasise the threat that still hangs over us from this disease. ...there is a very real risk bluetongue could circulate again in the UK in 2009, either as a result of wind-borne incursion or through animals legally brought into the UK from the Continent...
We must not forget the severe economic hardship bluetongue caused the farming community when it first hit our shores in 2007. Vaccination remains the only effective tool to protect susceptible animals..."
Read in full (new page as usual)

March 5 2009 ~" investigations suggest that no virulent BTV6 virus strain has circulated in the Netherlands or Germany"

ProMed's most recent update quotes from the EU DG SANCO - SCFCAH Website. The report strongly implies that the limited appearance of bluetongue strain, BTV6, and Belgium's BTV11 - neither of which has been shown to be virulent nor circulating - is very likely to have been caused by the use of a modified live vaccine. (see also below) As we also note below, Europe uses only inactivated vaccines and safety issues are not a concern. Attenuated live vaccines used elsewhere are highly effective - but certain safety issues have sometimes been raised. More detail

March 4 2009 ~ "One in four livestock producers are unlikely to vaccinate against bluetongue this year.."

An alarming report by Johann Tasker in today's FWi following a recent survey: "....some 30% of beef and dairy producers are prepared to run the risk of leaving animals unprotected. As a result, vaccination levels are likely to fall far short of the blanket coverage needed to guarantee Britain remains bluetongue-free...... many producers failed to appreciate the risk posed by the disease to their businesses and the role of vaccination in preventing it from spreading more widely..... Some producers believed the risk of a bluetongue outbreak was so low they didn't need to vaccinate..." Read in full

March 3 2009 ~ Emerging diseases: "controlling them will take a co-ordinated European and international approach"

A Farmers Weekly article by Cedric Porter quotes Steve Dean, chief executive of the Vet Medicines Directorate, who said at a recent National Office of Animal Health conference:
".. The rapid spread of bluetongue has demonstrated the problems emerging disease can cause. When they were not protected by vaccines some sheep owners in Europe were seeing mortality rates of up to 20%.."
Mr Dean sees classical swine fever, bird flu, peste des petits ruminants, West Nile Virus and Rift Valley Fever as equally worrying threats and he considers that controlling them will take a co-ordinated European and international approach. The Farmers Weekly: ".... He also said the industry needs to develop a communication strategy to demonstrate the importance of using vaccines and preventative medicines. .."
UPDATE See also the article at redgreenandblue.org "Britain more Liable to Disease Threat as Foot and Mouth Laboratory Funding Disappears" - very critical of what it calls the "worryingly short-sighted approach" of DEFRA in pulling out of funding a revitalised Pirbright and the provision of field virologists to join the IAH team - an innovation that would have created "a holistic service, able to predict and respond to outbreaks of disease in human and animal populations." (More)

March 3 2009 ~ "Farmers just hadn't realised the true risk and severity of bluetongue disease"

Farming UK today brings home how effective Jakob Pustjens (see also below) has been in talking to farmers of his first hand experience of Bluetongue in Holland. His timetable for the rest of March: Week 2 - commencing Monday 9th March
Carlisle: Mon 9 March
Skipton: Tues 10 March - Lunchtime meeting arranged by CCM Auctions and Kingsway Veterinary Group
Newark: Wed 11 March
Longtown: Thurs 12 March
Hexham: Fri 13 March
Read in full
And Sarah Trickett in Farmers Weekly also reminds us today that
"Farmers should not be lulled in to a false sense of security thinking that the cold weather will have killed the midges capable of spreading bluetongue..."
and quotes Intervet/Schering Plough animal health vet manager, Alasdair King, who says, "It is likely some midge larvae and possibly adults too have survived February's cold spell. It only takes a few days of daily temperatures to average above 12C for them to start breeding to large numbers, with midges at their most active at 15-30C.....Insecticide use should form part of a management programme inclduing measures such as fencing of stream banks and removing midge breeding areas such as stagnant water and dung heaps" (Read FWi article in full.

March 2 2009 ~ Bluetongue vaccine - expiry date concerns

The BVA news release today quotes BVA President, Nicky Paull.: "The news, placed on the Defra website last Friday (27 February), that there will be no extension to the expiry date for bluetongue vaccines already in the supply chain “will come as a financial blow to some veterinary practices who have been left with stock that is now unusable." The release goes on to say that since "the veterinary profession rose to the challenge of delivering vaccine as swiftly as possible and last year's campaign was a great success, with no cases of circulating vaccine being reported during the course of 2008" now to find that the practices involved are going to be left carrying a financial burden not of their own making is totally unacceptable. Read news release in full.
Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian puts it more bluntly: "Farmers and vets to lose out as bluetongue vaccines expire" confirming that DEFRA will not be granting an expiry date extension to vaccines. He also quotes Nicky Paul: "The vaccine that is now stuck in the supply chain is due mainly to the delay in the vaccine roll out, and the BVA is extremely concerned that practices are going to be wary of getting their fingers burnt again this year" Read FG article. .

March 2 2009 ~ DEFRA's overall contribution to Bluetongue Virus research

On 27 Feb Tim Farron asked DEFRA how much the Department had spent on "research into a vaccine for (a) BVT1, (b) BVT8, (c) BVT6 and (d) all other strains of bluetongue disease in each of the last six years". The question was not answered clearly - but the "overall Bluetongue Virus research spend, of which some has been spent on molecular research over the last six years", is given in Hansard. Some might think it rather meagre.

March 1 2009 ~ Vaccine price rising by 25%?

We have received an email today from a farmer in Suffolk whose vet can get a batch of vaccine with an expiry date of June 2009 at the old price. The farmer has been told that the price of the new vaccine is going to increase by 25% - and wonders if others have heard of this steep increase. Comments to warmwell.com gratefully received.

February 25 2009 ~ "wind spread of infected midges to the UK is not unlikely this summer..."

"..Susceptible stock must, therefore, be vaccinated again this year. In the UK, we still only have vaccination against serotype eight, so we can only guard against other serotypes by maintaining vigilance for clinical signs of disease and being sensible when importing stock from abroad." Fwi today,, quoting vet David Feneley of Wensum Valley Vet Surgeons. His comments also look back to the visit of the German vet Dr Johannes Winkelmann, who was in the UK to address the National Sheep Association last October (see below). He had been very clear that farmers would face massive financial losses unless livestock was protected - and that 80% national coverage was essential.
"You must aim to have at least 80% of your livestock protected against bluetongue to stand any chance of controlling the disease. Annual vaccination must be vigorously maintained for several years before anyone can talk about possible eradication. Unless you set about this now you are putting your livestock industry at tremendous risk."
Dr. Winkelmann had "been at the forefront of Germany's bid to combat the spread of the disease" and he told the NSA that farmers were being "extremely naive" if they thought the UK was going to escape the effects of the bluetongue virus.

February 24 2009 ~"Alternative areas, such as antivirals, siRNA, interferon and nanotechnology, may be of future use in the control of Bluetongue.."

"..We give an overview of BT vaccines, starting from conventional to recent developments, and their feasibility in controlling BT infection..." This paper, by scientists at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, comes from : Expert Rev Vaccines. 2009 Feb;8(2):191-204. It is available as an abstract fromPubMed
"...Differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) is theoretically possible with inactivated vaccines but has not yet been developed, whereas the attenuated live vaccines are not candidates for DIVA. Attenuated live vaccines are efficacious but safety issues are of great concern. (warmwell note: Europe, of course, uses only inactivated vaccines and safety issues are not a concern) New-generation vaccines (subunit, virus-like particles, core-like particles and vectored) can be employed for DIVA. Recombinant vaccines, which generate cross-protection against multiple BTV serotypes, have great potential in BT vaccine regimens. Furthermore, new-generation vaccines are safe and efficacious experimentally, but large-scale field trials are warranted."
Read abstract

February 22/23 2009 ~ Bluetongue in Norway. "This is not a current outbreak."

ProMed Mail, after quoting the Forbes report below, gives links to the maps showing the temporary restriction zones in Norway. Moderator AS comments:
"Though no further details are available, it may be assumed that the animals, detected now as infected, are either imported animals or local animals infected during the previous season -- namely between June and November 2008, and that the virus involved is BTV-8. This is not a current outbreak. Exact details are awaited, however, and a detailed notification to the OIE is anticipated.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has published notifications on the event on 20 and 21 Feb 2009. According to the maps included in the said notifications on the Web site of the Norwegian food safety agency, the affected farms are located at the south western tip of Norway. ..."
Read ProMed

February 20/21 2009 ~ First case in Norway

Forbes "The Norwegian Food Safety Authority says the country's first cases of bluetongue infection have been detected in two cattle herds..."

February 19 2009 ~ "good news for Merial and industry professionals throughout Europe who have put their faith in vaccination as part of the strategy to control bluetongue."

The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) has adopted a "positive opinion for a marketing authorisation under exceptional circumstances" towards Merial's bluetongue vaccine BTVPUR AlSap 8. It is one of Merial's range of inactivated and purified bluetongue vaccines. The CVMP's positive opinion opens the way for Merial to receive full EU marketing authorisation. See www.foodeast.com"Thanks to mass vaccination the number of cases of bluetongue was dramatically reduced in several countries. BTVPUR AlSap 8 is licensed for use in both cattle and sheep. It is important that BTVPUR AlSap 8 has been recognized as preventing viraemia, thus limiting the spread of bluetongue thereby allowing safe trade. This is exactly what the EU is seeking."

February 19 2009 ~ Extending date of expiry in unused vaccine stocks

Farmers Weekly today: "... Farmers should plan their vaccination strategies with their vets immediately to ensure protection against the disease.....Jules Dare of the Westpoint Vet Group told the meeting that DEFRA and the vaccine manufacturers were in discussions about extending the expiry date of these packs.
"So long as the seal hasn't been broken and the vaccine has been refrigerated, there shouldn't be a problem with extending the dates."
... discussions were ongoing to allow preventative vaccination against other strains. "This should allow the UK to protect against BTV1 in due course, depending on the risk level of the disease spreading here."
Reminding farmers present of the symptoms, Mr Dare said suckler herd managers should look out for cows with sunburnt udders. "It appears that bluetongue hypersensitises the udder to sunlight, meaning the outside of the udder burns easily, while the rest of the udder remains fine. Cows suffering like this will be reluctant to allow calves to suckle."
Mr Dare also said farmers needed to check which vaccine they would be using, as three were available, all with different specifications.... "Merial's, product BTV Pur 8, can only be given to stock more than three months old and Fort Dodge's vaccine, Zulvac 8 Bovis, is only licensed in cattle and can only be given to stock more than 2.5 months old. Prices for the three products will also vary and all have to be used within eight hours of the seal being breached." Read the FWi article in full. It gives specific advice about timings of vaccinations.

February 16 2009 ~ 8 cattle holdings infected with Bluetongue serotype BTV-11 in Belgium

Since we first reported on Feb 6 the finding of BTv11 in Belgium, it seems that 7 additional cattle farms have been discovered in the provinces of Flemish Brabant, Antwerp and Limburg where the same variant of bluetongue is present. From www.favv-afsca.fgov.be (Dutch) ".... In cooperation with the European Commission, the Belgian Reference Laboratory CODA and the European reference laboratory in Pirbright (United Kingdom) the Food Agency's investigations continue to determine the precise extent of the problem and whether - as suspected - a non-harmful vaccine virus is present. This presumption is not only supported by a limited genetic analysis (of the virus), that shows a great similarity with a vaccine strain used in Africa, but also by the properties of the BTV-11 virus found , which caused no clinical problems. Up to date only a very limited number of holdings is infected and at any of these farms only one or two infected animals showed. ..." A large temporary control zone has been set up around the affected farms and all animals intended for trade and kept in this temporary control area or which left this area after 1 November, 2008 and held elsewhere , have to be sampled within 7 days (before departure) and tested for BTV 11. Animals will only be accepted for trade when the results of the laboratory is favourable. If investigations show that the strain is non-pathogenic, restrictions -after consultations with the European Commission- will apparently be lifted.

February 13 2009 ~ There may not be a midge in sight but now is the time to start thinking about protecting stock from bluetongue

Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian today (read article) explains that it was owing to the 80 per cent of farmers in the south of England, who chose to vaccinate their stock, that Bluetongue disease was stopped in its tracks in the UK last Summer.
"But further north in England, uptake was alarmingly low and with the UK still at risk from the disease there are fears another year of poor uptake in some areas could see the disease return in 2009. ....there is a renewed impetus to encourage farmers to start vaccinating early and take advantage of the 12 million doses left over from last year's campaign..."
Tom Tupper, who runs 1,100 breeding ewes at Bignor in Sussex began vaccinating his heavily pregnant ewes this week. He is quoteed by the FG:
"We will also vaccinate the lambs at four to five weeks old. There should be some protection passed on by the mother but we are not sure how much and how long it lasts, so we will vaccinate."
(Read article)

February 13 2009 ~ Almost total coverage is essential - otherwise, while individual animals might be protected, the country will not be.

The 12 million doses held at veterinary wholesalers have already been paid for by DEFRA under the terms of last year's tender but DEFRA is not tendering this year. Some of the existing vaccine supplies will be out of date by the end of this month, with the rest due to expire at the end of June. Once it all runs out it is impossible to say what prices and availability will be.
The Smallholder says,
"With bluetongue vaccine costing around £25 plus vat for twenty doses, and in spite of the fact that the government urges farmers to vaccinate, it has made it clear that it is not likely to fund the bill for bluetongue vaccine next year. The vaccine, which does not keep once opened, makes vaccination very expensive for small producers as two shots have to be administered for effective protection..."
(One might comment that the price paid by infected sheep and their owners is high too. With the present voluntary campaign it is vital that farmers realise that almost total coverage is essential - otherwise, while individual animals might be protected, the country will not be.)

February 12 2009 ~ IAH says that the perceived value of Pirbright's bluetongue unit is £45m

From a new report into "The economic and social impact of the Institute for Animal Health.s work on Bluetongue disease (BTV-8)" (10 page pdf file)
".....While the cost of operating the IAH unit working on the BTV-8 disease amounts to less than £10m, the perceived value of their work...on the bluetongue disease from the British society's viewpoint is £45m. By preventing a major BTV-8 outbreak from affecting the UK.s agricultural sector, IAH and its partners contribute to protect British farmers from a potential £485m loss in their annual income, as well as to protect 10,000 jobs throughout the UK.s economy that would otherwise be lost.."
The BTV-8 unit carries out activities, elaborated upon in the report, into Research & vaccination, Surveillance & Diagnostics and Disease control. IAH also works with other laboratories in Europe involved in the study of the BTV including CIDC-Lelystad in the Netherlands, CODA-CERVA in Belgium, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute in Germany and Afssa-Lerpaz in France. (Read pdf file in full)

February 11 2009 ~ BVA president, Nicky Paull, says Government leadership should rekindle vaccination momentum

A Farmers Guardian article, "Fresh call for bluetongue import ban as voluntary ban fails" today, quotes Nicky Paull - who praised the response to bluetongue last year, but said farmers needed to be shown more leadership for 2009.
"The threat from bluetongue still remains very real with vaccination the only effective protective measure. We need to look to leadership not only from the farming industry and the veterinary surgeons, who play a key role in that industry, but also from Government in rekindling the momentum at this crucial time in the control of the disease."
The article mentions the finding of a single case of "BTV11" in Belgium (we reported this on February 6th below) Our expert correspondent, Sabine Zentis, has sent the following comment:

February 11 2009 ~ BTV11 in Belgium - "This cow has tested positive for antibodies only and no virus has been discovered" Sabine Zentis.

She writes to warmwell.com: "This will make it extremely difficult to estimate the extent/mode of introduction of disease. To discover more cases, extensive surveillance would be necessary. I was wondering whether it could be possible that various strains of BT might have been lurking around for quite some time in Europe but have never surfaced to any extent (maybe due to non favourable climatic conditions?) prior to 2006 when BTV8 showed up on the radar screen.
Only after the widespread outbreak of BTV8 was awareness raised and diagnosis stepped up. Could this (BTV11) be a very old case of infection in one animal gone unnoticed? Who knows. As no virus has so far been recovered it is impossible to state that someone has used live vaccine and the absence of antibodies against other types of BTV in this cow doesn't support the theory of vaccination (see www.agriholland.nl : - the Belgians do not rule out illegal vaccination of the animal.)

February 11th 2009 ~ "cattle have been imported into the UK and subsequently found to be carriers of bluetongue, despite having been allegedly tested before shipping" -

Once again,we find the Scotsman's mention of "carriers" today a rather unfortunate and misleading use of the word. This column has discussed the concept of carrier to denote the possibility of an animal effectively vaccinated against Bluetongue being able to spread the disease to midges. As Sabine Zentis so clearly explained in December: " if the animal has been vaccinated according to the vaccine manufacturers instructions it can develop a very low level viraemia WHEN bitten by an infective midge. The PCR then is of course positive but this doesn't mean that the animal has enough virus to infect a midge.". And as Dr Anthony Wilson of Pirbright says in this column below:
"With an efficacious inactivated vaccine no viraemia should be seen at any stage - there should never be any live virus in the animal to multiply up.. inactive vaccine should not contain any live virus, so recrudescence could not occur in vaccinated animals."
He also confirmed that during the "vector-free" period the risk of onwards transmission is negligible
"but.. I suspect that most policy-makers would be nervous about saying that the risk is actually zero during this period."
See below

February 11th 2009 ~ Importers vilified - in spite of preparations and expert advice

No one would argue that irresponsible imports are selfishly dangerous - but when all possible safety checks have been made and expert advice taken, as in the case below, the publicising and consequent overreaction seems unfortunate. Dan Buglass in The Scotsman today reveals that it was the newspaper's own reporting of the importation of "a small consignment of pedigree Belgian Blue cattle" that led to distressing results for the farmers involved. Mr Ted Fox farms on the south side of the Cheviot Hills. Neighbours were furious when they read about the importing of the cows from Belgium - unaware of all the checks that had been made. Mr Fox rang The Scotsman to say,
"I would never do anything, and that includes importing animals, that could do damage to our great livestock industry. We took professional advice that included discussions with a government vet before we embarked on this project. We were assured that the risks were non-existent. The cattle we selected were tested and isolated before leaving Belgium with a similar procedure followed when they arrived in Northumberland. We wanted the best genetics available and paid accordingly for some excellent cattle."
The level of anger and abuse the farmers encountered suggests that many believe Bluetongue can spread if any foreign animal is imported, vaccinated or not, tested or not, isolated or not. Some journalists and farming unions seem to be emphasising the fear of so-called infected carriers from abroad - perhaps even at the expense of the urgent call for all livestock farmers to vaccinate. But an import ban alone - however well enforced - will not prevent the virus arriving nor protect their animals if infected midges reach the UK again. It seems all too likely that they must.

February 10th 2009 ~ "I can tell you it is a quite terrible illness that causes animals great pain.."

Farmers Weekly quotes the Dutch farmer, Jakob Pustjens, who addressed farmers at Welshpool Market in north Powys on Monday. Mr Pustjens said the disease cost his business £13,000 but he "got off lightly" compared with many other farmers near his farm in southern Holland. g "...He urged farmers not to follow farmers in northern Holland, who believed virus-carrying midges would not reach their units. By the time that livestock showed visible signs of the disease it was already too late for them, he said. Sheep in particular could not fight the disease and many died within a few days..." Read full article.

February 6th 2009 ~ Jakob Pustjens will spend Thursday at Thirsk auction mart describing his experiences to farmers and urging vaccination

His visit is part of a tour of English and Welsh livestock marts during February and March organised by Merial Animal Health and the Livestock Auctioneers Association. His own family farm at Nederweet in the south of The Netherlands has 100 Holstein Friesian dairy cows and 90 heifers. He is also an agricultural management consultant.
"In 2008 when the Dutch Government gave us the green light to vaccinate, we didn't have to think twice! My advice to farmers in the UK would be to vaccinate before bluetongue is diagnosed in their area otherwise it could be too late."
See www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk

February 6 2009 ~ New Bluetongue virus strain in Belgium- BTV11

A cow infected with serotype BTV-11 from a herd in East Flanders was sampled in November 2008 as part of a routine investigation. BTV1, BTV6 and BTV8 - the serotypes already in Northern Europe, were ruled out. www.favv-afsca.fgov.be (in Dutch) tells us that samples were confirmed at Pirbright in December. The view expressed is that "this finding has no immediate consequences. There is currently only a single infection involving only one animal . The investigation in November and again in the last month on the holding affected as well as the analysis of thousands of samples in the last year from all over the country, gave no indications that the BTV11 is effectively transmitted and spread by vectors. Only such virus circulation would be the key condition to declare an outbreak of bluetongue." We are very grateful to Sabine Zentis for the link and information.
(UPDATE. The information is now reported by ProMed with comment from moderator AS: "......Such an infection could have been caused by several theoretically possible modes, including the following: 1. Infected vectors (_Culicoides_). 2. Applied live attenuated BTV vaccine that includes BTV-11. 3. Injection of other biological(s) contaminated by BTV-11. ....".)

February 6 2009 ~ How far is "climate change" responsible for BTV in Northern Europe?

Stephen Higgs, a pathology professor at the Texas university of Galveston and professor Ernest Gould of Oxford University have written a paper in the February "Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene" They say that although arbovirus diseases (i.e. carried by arthropods such as mosquitoes, midges and ticks) can'tbe disassociated from the climate, many other forces play significant parts in new patterns of viral emergence. "There are some confounding factors here, in that infected but asymptomatic livestock are being moved around, and midges can be spread great distances quickly by the wind." All the same, they felt that climate change "may have contributed" to the spread of Bluetongue virus and that, since "some experts" predict average temperatures increase in certain regions of the world, "then species of arthropod vectors may disperse beyond their current geographic boundaries, and we need to be ready for the possibility that similar outbreaks could occur." See article at esciencenews.com

February 5 2009 ~ "...an isolated PCR test for Blue tongue may cost £30. However....."

Warmwell.com has received with gratitude this clear explanation from Dr Colin Fink at Micropathology Ltd about the costs involved in testing for Bluetongue : "A number of variables must be considered for any assessment of what is a reasonable charge for this service..." He explains a larger scale undertaking "could reduce the price considerably."

February 4 2009 ~ "PCR tests for bluetongue currently cost £30 a head before laboratory and veterinary charges are included"

(see farming UK article) It has been remarked before that the charges for bluetongue testing seem extraordinarily high. It would be useful to know how the cost is justified. Can anyone help?

February 3 2009 ~ "...you never think that bluetongue will affect you, until it does"

Many UK farmers are in the same position as Dutch farmers in 2006 when Bluetongue was first discovered there. FWi tells us today that Jakob Pustjens, a farmer from the south of The Netherlands, is going to attend several livestock markets in England and Wales, hoping to share his experiences.
"As a farmer you never think that bluetongue will affect you, until it does. Unfortunately, by the time that livestock show visible signs of the disease it's already too late to prevent it. I knew many farmers in the North of The Netherlands who thought the disease would be confined to the south and would not reach them. It did and they were left counting the cost.."
Mr Pustjens goes on to say that one of his clients saw "average annual milk yield decline very quickly, from over 7500 litres to less than 6000 litres, while on another high-performing unit the average daily yield fell from over 40 litres to under 10 litres in less than a month. A quarter of the herd eventually had to be slaughtered." The markets involved in the programme in the first week are mainly in West England and Wales: ... Welshpool: Mon 9 Feb ... Shrewsbury: Tues 10 Feb ... Worcester: Wed 11 Feb ... Brecon: Wed 11 Feb - Evening meeting 7pm ... Thirsk Thurs 12 Feb ... Lancaster Fri 13 Feb
Week 2 begins Monday 9th March and will be in the North of England. Link to article.

February 3 2009 ~ When Bluetongue returns there will be a shortfall of 16.3 million doses of vaccine to protect all livestock in England

With 12 million doses left on shelves, DEFRA made the decision not to tender for further supplies for 2009. In December, Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian reminded farmers that "there are fears vaccine manufacturers could divert supplies to Europe where governments are already guaranteeing orders for 2009. He quoted David Bartram, a vet at vaccine manufacturer Fort Dodge, who said there was 'potential' that guaranteed orders in Europe could leave England running short in the event of an outbreak. The article concluded that "The latest figures presented at a recent meeting of EU vets shows the uptake in some parts of England was as low as 26 per cent, while Wales had a total uptake of just 25 per cent."

February 2 2009 ~ Scotland's compulsory vaccination campaign is working

DEFRA's given reason for not making vaccination compulsory was that "individual farmers are best placed to make decisions based on their own assessment of the economic and welfare benefits of vaccination" - ( a most uncharacteristic - and unrealistic, alas - vote of confidence). DEFRA said a compulsory scheme would have to be overseen by vets, adding significantly to costs and slowing the delivery of vaccine. Unfortunately, as many advised at the time, the decision could result in a low take-up in areas not yet alarmed - and we have now seen this in Wales and the North where individual farmers there have widely ignored the economic and welfare benefits of vaccination. Stocks of unused vaccine that will soon be out of date (see below) are languishing in the "supply chain".
Scotland's decision to make vaccination mandatory ensures full coverage of sheep and bovines, and still allows owners to vaccinate their own stock. What's more, the Scottish Government meets the costs of surveillance, monitoring and enforcement and contributes 50% of the total manufacturer's cost of the vaccine (at a cost to itself of £2.6 million) There are random spot checks and a monitoring of uptake - and the campaign seems to be going very well

February 2 2009 ~ "anything less than 80 per cent of livestock protected against bluetongue means we will not control the disease."

In England, we have a campaign that has seemed to some to have lost its way, surveillance that is considered by many to be inadequate and a lack of informed leadership that inspires anything but confidence in anyone. As Jane King, editor of Farmers Weekly, says here: "The Germans think we are crazy not to protect our livestock. They argue that annual vaccination must be vigorously maintained for several years before anyone can talk about possible eradication and that anything less than 80 per cent of livestock protected against bluetongue means we will not control the disease."

February 1 2009 ~ No complacency from those who have seen the effects of Bluetongue

In the UK BTV8 could be stamped out if vaccine uptake were good - but the 2009 campaign will again be a voluntary one. 80% plus coverage would guard against BTV8 coming in from mainland Europe - but that needs everyone to take the threat seriously. There has been so little mention of Bluetongue recently in the UK that farmers can hardly be blamed if they doubt the risk to their livestock; there will be no advance ordering by DEFRA this year, there are vaccine stocks remaining unused (see below), there have been idiotic rumours about abortion, (now scotched by the NFU) and a reluctance on the part of all (except the farmers who have seen enough to want to protect their animals) to spend money on a campaign that is voluntary anyway.
In East Anglia, the South East and the West Country, where the dangers of BTv have been taken seriously, vaccine take-up has been excellent - but elsewhere farmers are either ignorant or else prepared to take ridiculous risks. Unfortunately, the unused Intervet vaccine expires on February 28th, (20ml bottles), or March 31st, (50ml bottles). This is a blow for those farmers who do want to protect their animals and would prefer to vaccinate in April. Merial vaccine, we understand,expires on June 30th.

January 30 2009 ~ Importers should bear the cost of bluetongue testing, says NFU

At present of course, it is DEFRA that pays for the testing of imported animals - but government cost sharing plans aim to pass the cost on to farmers. Kevin Pearce, the head of food and farming at the NFU, thinks it would be wrong for farmers to have to pay on behalf of the few producers who import animals from areas of Europe at risk from bluetongue - and the union remains absolutely opposed to government cost-sharing plans.See FWi

January 29 2009 ~ The NFU in Wales has scotched the rumours that Bluetongue vaccine can cause abortion

Farmers Weekly reported last week that Estyn Jones, chairman of NFU Cymru's Brecon and Radnor branch, said that the scanning of results from flocks in two Welsh counties with the highest concentration of sheep suggests the vaccine has no impact on sheep miscarriages - indeed the results show that abortion levels have been particularly low in vaccinated ewes.

January 20 2009 ~ PLAPROVA - Animal disease vaccines from plant proteins

A project named PLAPROVA - which consists of a consortium of 11 partners based in the EU, Russia and South Africa, aims to use "transient expression" technologies to "express particulate antigens" in plants in order to produce practical vaccines from plants. The project will run for a total of 35 months. It might well eventually produce effective vaccines against bluetongue and other farm animal diseases more quickly and cheaply than present methods can.
www.farminguk.com reports: "..Overall project coordinator Prof. George Lomonossoff said, "... this international cooperation is central to the success of the project in battling diseases that affect us all.
.....the consortium will concentrate on diseases of importance to farming in both the EU and Russia, which includes avian influenza, blue tongue, foot and mouth disease and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. Proteins identified through this screening programme will be developed for large-scale production and ultimately low-cost production of effective vaccines."

January 18 2009 ~ Ramsak helps with vaccination drive.

Chris Smith, a field officer at the Ring of Agricultural Machinery in Sussex and Kent (Ramsak), is quoted by Thanet news
"....Ramsak is a rural network that has a large number of members across the South East who contact us when they need help in organising a specific job. A lot of farmers needed help with vaccinating their livestock against bluetongue, so we were able to point them in the right direction and get the right people to protect their sheep and cattle..." Visit www.ramsak.co.uk for more information on the services the group provides.
90% of farmers in the East and South East voluntarily vaccinated their animals last year. The paper reminds us that all animals that were vaccinated (against BTV8) in 2008 need just one booster jab this year - but cattle not vaccinated should receive two inoculations this winter, sheep just one.

January 17 2009 ~ Vaccine against BTV1?

With the Bluetongue serotype 1 as close as Brittany - and with animals testing positive for BTV1 imported in December - farmers may well be worrying about the availability of BTV1 vaccine if the eventual need arises to vaccinate against BTV1 as well as BTV8 - as all livestock farmers in France are now required to do. Fort Dodge's mass vaccination campaign with Zulvac 1 is progressing throughout France and they are working on licences for a number of other European countries - including the UK.However, as we know, DEFRA is not planning to tender for supplies. (see below).

January 16 2009 ~ Bluetongue serotype 8 in Italy and urgent movement restrictions in Sardinia

Report at the OIE WAHID interface shows a confirmed outbreak of BTV8 close to the French border in the Piedmont region.
The Italian website www.libero-news reports that urgent measures against bluetongue are being adopted in the Province of Olbia Tempio in Sardinia after results on 6 cattle and 2 goats in came back positive for BTV8 on January 5.

January 12 2009 ~ Western Isles: Crofters call for vaccination to be voluntary as it is in the Shetland Islands

The Western Isles petition reads (extract):
... Due to the remoteness the Shetland Islands asked for a derogation and were allowed to vaccinate voluntarily. There is a possibility that we in the Western Isles could also have this choice."
The Stornaway Gazette asks Should the Western Isles take part in the bluetongue vaccination programme on a voluntary basis? Replies so far:
72% Yes, 19% No and 9% Don't Know
(But it was pointed out that the question was so ambiguously phrased that many who voted "Yes" thought they were voting for vaccination. The results seem now to be reversing.) Vaccination in Scotland against BTV8 has been compulsory since November 3 2008, when Scotland automatically became a Protection Zone. Producers there have until April 30 2009 to vaccinate all cattle and sheep - or face a possible fine of £5000. However, the Shetland Islanders were given the derogation that they "may" vaccinate (see Bluetongue Order 2008 pdf)
The question of the BTV1 strain - just over the Channel in Northern France - remains a worry. Vaccination against both strains is now compulsory in France and all France is now both a BTV8 and BTV1 Protection Zone. New rules would allow the UK to vaccinate against the BTV1 strain without proof that the virus was circulating (The "vaccination without circulation zone" is to be referred to as the Blue Zone in the new, more rational EU rules.) - if there were only BTV1 vaccine available in the UK. As for BTV6, there is still no news of its likely progress nor its source.

January 6 2009 ~ No news on DEFRA bluetongue page since December 19

- although the relevant page was updated yesterday to repeat the number of confirmed premises affected by Bluetongue (BTV8) in England and Wales as currently standing at 149. The big chill throughout the UK and Northern Europe will at least have caused the midges to cease activity for a while.

January 4 2009 ~ "Epidemiological investigations into the Dutch and German BTV-6 outbreaks are still continuing..."

..was how DEFRA reported on BTV6 in its BTv update of November 14 2008 (pdf file) It seems, however, that there is no news yet on the possible source of this strain of the virus. Following the new rules, exports from the Dutch inclusion zone to third countries are now possible (see below), provided the country that wants to import is prepared to accept the possible risks.
According to part of the most recent ProMed posting on Bluetongue (Dec 14)
"BTV-6 seems to be widespread in the Netherlands. It remains unclear whether the BTV-6 is vaccine virus, a vaccine virus that has regained virulence, or a field virus. Several studies need to be verified, full results are expected during the course of December 2008...." Read ProMed posting in full
We understand that if BTV6 could be declared to be a weakened vaccine virus, restriction measures would no longer need to apply. It seems that CVI Lelystad type 6 tests on animals have shown that this strain of the virus does not cause symptoms - but no other news seems yet to have emerged during the course of December 2008 into the possible origin of BTV6.

December 19 2008 ~ All the progress we have made could be reversed...

Jack Davies' message in the Farmers Guardian is very clear: "The UK is still at risk from bluetongue, and if disease does hit then the results could be catastrophic, reversing the progress made this year in keeping it at bay."
However, he adds, Defra's "reluctance to fork out for more vaccine" is perhaps understandable since there are still 12 million doses left on the shelves
"Whether blame lies with the farmers who chose not to vaccinate, or with an overly optimistic industry which ordered too many vaccines, the fact is the farming industry could lose out heavily in the long run. Protecting against disease is a lucrative business, and it is now up to individual farmers - in England and Wales - to show the manufacturers there is a viable market here in the UK..."
It is to be hoped that farmers who read the FG will act on his advice; that they get vaccines in early and show the vaccine manufacturers they want to get on top of the disease, will soon follow the market. "Without that," he says, "vaccines will be shipped to more willing European farmers while the industry looks on, praying the disease doesn't rear its head in 2009."

December 18 2008 ~ More bluetongue in Austria

The French newspaper, Le Figaro, reports today that nine new cases of BTV have been found in cows in the eastern part of the province of Haute-Autriche. This brings the number of infected animals in Austria to 11. The Austrian agency for animal health (AGES) considers these new cases as forming part of a "secondary epidemic" and are waiting to see if other animals in the same area show infection in the next few days.

December 18 2008 ~12 cattle near Crewe test positive for BTV8

Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian reports today
"...The infections... were discovered following routine post-import testing and will raise serious questions about why farmers in England are continuing to import from high risk areas on the continent.
The latest case comes as Defra came under growing pressure this week in the House of Lords to ban imports from areas on the continent where disease is circulating. Liberal Democrat peers this week urged Ministers to introduce emergency import restrictions to prevent a 'catastrophe' following the discovery of BTV1 on a farm near Blackpool last month.
Lord Tyler, a former agricultural spokesman in the House of Commons accused the Government of 'dithering' while Lord Livesey of Talgarth warned there could be serious repercussions if the issue is not tackled.
He said: "To avoid a catastrophe it is essential that action should be taken now to prevent imports of live cattle and sheep into the UK, which I believe would be a disaster for farming livestock systems in the UK."
Lords Hansard page here. DEFRA website here.

December 18 2008 ~ Lord Livsey of Talgarth asked whether the government would introduce emergency legislation to prevent the live import of susceptible animals

In view of the latest case of imported animals testing positive for Bluetongue, it is ironic that it was only on Monday that Lord Livesey of Talgarth had made another plea for legislation
"... I am aware of what the Minister said about EU rules, but to avoid a catastrophe it is essential that action should be taken now to prevent imports of live cattle and sheep into the UK, which I believe would be a disaster for farming livestock systems in the UK. Is it not now essential to act and persuade the European Commission to give us permission to do this?"
Lord Tyler added,
"..will the Minister confirm that the British Veterinary Association pointed out last week that this form of bluetongue, serotype 1, is not susceptible to any licensed vaccine? Is that not a particular reason for taking action now? Does he recognise that those of us with farming neighbours and constituents who suffered the devastation of foot and mouth, and before that BSE, believe that this looks like the Government dithering and delaying?"
Read Hansard extract in full

December 18 2008 ~ The Times publicises a radio programme on BBC World Service "One Planet -The Battle Against Bluetongue "

at 10.30am, 4.30pm, 8.30pm, 1.30am. See The Times. We are surprised to read "There is, as yet, no reliable preventive vaccine" and alarmed by the tenour of the ending of the review
"...Susie Emmett investigates what is being done to combat the disease in Europe and fend off a potentially devastating continent-wide epidemic. She meets farmers, scientific researchers, and the veterinarians and farmers' leaders behind a campaign to inoculate every farmed animal at risk in Western Europe - with a vaccine that may not work."
Such writing can surely only further confirm a reluctance to vaccinate. After years of being told that vaccination against FMD is bad for business and the misapprehension that Foot and Mouth vaccine "doesn't work", vulnerable listeners are going to be told that bluetongue vaccine "may not work"? One can only hope that the preview does not accurately reflect the general message of the actual programme. Read in full

December 17 2008 ~ Guaranteed vaccine orders in Europe could leave England running short in the event of an outbreak

The National Sheep Association chairman, Peter Morris, is quoted in Jack Davies' article in the Farmers Guardian today. He said the 12 million doses remaining in the UK this year would be enough for 'preventive vaccination' but would leave farmers short on supply if there was an outbreak. An additional 16.3 million doses is needed to protect all livestock from an outbreak in England
FG: "And with no firm order from Defra, there are fears vaccine manufacturers could divert supplies to Europe where governments are already guaranteeing orders for 2009, potentially leaving farmers in England short on vaccine." The FG adds that the "latest figures presented at a recent meeting of EU vets shows the uptake in some parts of England was as low as 26 per cent, while Wales had a total uptake of just 25 per cent."

Tuesday 16 December 2008 ~ No tender for vaccine in 2009

The Farmers Guardian's Jack Davies writes
"DEFRA has confirmed it will not be issuing a tender for bluetongue vaccines for 2009, but will instead open it up to the free market."
About 12 million doses still remain in the UK because in some areas the uptake has been low. The FG says that it will now "be up to manufacturers how much additional vaccine is released into the marketplace".
The problem has always been - as we have said several times before - that, having the learnt the hard way from having made CSFG vaccine that was subsequently never bought, vaccine manufacturers will not rely on chance. They need to know that they are guaranteed orders and payment in full. Since other EU countries are going to tender this could mean that the UK finds itself at the end of the queue.

Monday December 15 ~ Bluetongue round-up on latest ProMed posting.

The ProMed posting, which gives the position in affected Member States from the presentations given on Dec 2/3 (European Livestock and Meat Trading Union (UECBV) - Animal Health Update ) cannot give the most up to date figures - which have been rising disastrously in France for both strain 8 and strain 1. The ProMed posting today includes a translated article from the French (Proceedings of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research) showing just what a devastating effect Bluetongue is having in France, the worst affected of the Northern European countries.

Dec 15 ~ Vaccination starts in Southern Sweden for all farmed ruminants

We understand that the Svenska Bla Stjärnan (Swedish Blue Star) has been officially given the task of educating its members to help during crisis situations. In order to ensure that coverage is adequate to stop the spread of the virus, the Swedish Agriculture Administration is paying for Blue Star helpers who will accompany vets to carry out vaccination on all susceptible farms. A young Swedish blogger says, "We work in teams of two and drive around in a car to different farms."
This seems an admirable model that might well be copied elsewhere.

Saturday December 13 2008 ~ Austria - a two-month-old calf with no clinical symptoms tests positive for bluetongue

Its mother had not been vaccinated. Vaccination will be compulsory in the whole of Austria from December 15. See AFP

December 12/13 ~ "inactive vaccine should not contain any live virus, so recrudescence could not occur in vaccinated animals, only in those which were naturally infected and had since recovered..."

Continuing the discussion on the misuse of the word carrier to denote the possibility of an animal effectively vaccinated against Bluetongue being able to spread the disease to midges, Dr Anthony Wilson sends a few more thoughts in this email - including clarification about his apparent disagreement with Sabine Zentis below
"....I think I misread your original post. If you get what is called 'sterile immunity', this means that the vaccine stops any virus from circulating. There are then degrees of vaccine efficacy; at one end, a vaccine may reduce virus circulation so that the virus will never reach high enough levels to be transmitted onwards by midges; a vaccine at the other end may reduce clinical disease but onwards transmission may still be possible If you get what is called 'sterile immunity', this means that the vaccine stops any virus from circulating. I thought that you were suggesting that midge bites could stimulate the recrudescence of live virus in vaccinated animals. Some work conducted a few years ago here ....suggested .... "recrudescence" as a possible explanation for overwintering, and might yet turn out to be an important route for other strains... However, inactive vaccine should not contain any live virus, so recrudescence could not occur in vaccinated animals, only in those which were naturally infected and had since recovered.
The recrudescence paper was Takamatsu et al. (2003) The abstract can be found here. "A possible overwintering mechanism for bluetongue virus in the absence of the insect vector", Journal of General Virology 84: 227-235.

Friday Dec 12 2008 ~ The SCOFCAH proposals could overhaul the way the EU tackles bluetongue.

The proposals intend to distinguish between countries with active disease, countries where the virus is not currently circulating and areas where no virus has been detected.
Up until now it has been frustrating to say the least that vaccination could only happen in an area that is already infected - (shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted). The new proposals of pre-emptive vaccination mean that in the UK livestock would be able to beat the arrival of other strains by being vaccinated before the virus arrives - the whole point of vaccination. A Vaccination Zone could be established where it had been proved that no virus was currently circulating. The Farmers Guardian today says,
"It could also be the answer to reducing the risk of disease arriving on the back of imported animals, with tough new movement rules to be put in place for any of the new zones. Animals moving from disease areas such as in France, would only be allowed into the new vaccination zones if they had been vaccinated, followed by a 60-day waiting period. Therefore, if the UK was declared a vaccination zone, it would place tight restrictions on imported animals from France, Germany and Holland where disease was currently circulating." Read in full
Is anyone able to say how far the UK has got with licensing a BTV1 vaccine? We should be very grateful for informed comment.

Dec 12 ~ "potential hurdles in the way" - the cost of proper surveillance

John Mercer, the NFU's chief livestock adviser,is quoted by the FG
"To be a vaccinated zone you have to prove there is no virus circulating and we need to work out how we do that. There will have to be a surveillance programme put in place, and we have to work out exactly how we would do that and how far we would have to go to prove disease is not circulating.
"We also have to think about the costs tied to that surveillance programme, so there is still a lot of detail to be sorted out."
As usual, producers are concerned about gthe impact on trade. John Mercer says , "Any changes will see more lines drawn on the map, and that could bring with it implications for trade, so we have to establish exactly what they would be before anything can be implemented here." If only a part of the UK was designated a "vaccination zone" it could cut it off from the rest of the country and bring back movement restrictions.

Dec 12 ~ The threat from France

Jack Davies' article in the FG today also quotes Dr Chris Oura,
"A priority in the UK is to support France in its vaccination strategy. There is a lot of talk about creating buffer zones here and vaccinating pre-emptively but if we can eliminate, or really reduce the risk from France, then we would provide a great deal of protection for livestock keepers here in the UK."
The new EU proposals could help protect the UK by enabling France to create a buffer zone for BTV1 - already present in Northern France.

Thursday Dec 11 ~ "It is a pity that these decisions, particularly those covering the import of animals from areas where bluetongue is rife, were not made earlier in the year.."

As we noted below, the EU Commission is no longer discouraging protective vaccination campaigns outside the PZ and will allow restrictions on the trade of vaccinated stock moving from lower risk zones to completely disease free areas such as Scotland. As Stackyard.com says today
".The contents of the NBA petition (see above), which was circulated to the Scottish Government, MPs and MEPs was taken up strongly by Alyn Smith MEP who pressed for low-risk countries, lying outside bluetongue protection zones (PZs), to be able to distribute vaccine ahead of the actual arrival of the disease.
The Association is pleased these actions have been successful .."
Stackyard quotes Kim Haywood: "It is a pity that these decisions, particularly those covering the import of animals from areas where bluetongue is rife, were not made earlier in the year. However it is clear the Commission has reacted to the alarming spread of the disease across most countries in Western Europe and so those, like Scotland, which have yet to confirm the presence of the disease within their borders will be better able to protect themselves against the unwelcome arrival of diseased imports in 2009."

Wednesday December 9/10 2008 ~ "A positive PCR result indicates that viral RNA is present in an animal; it does not on its own indicate that active ("live") virus is present."

Once again we are very grateful to Anthony Wilson of Pirbright who, on the subject of the recent misuse of the word "carriers" writes to agree with Sabine Zentis (below) except that he says,
"the only point I would disagree with is the statement that vaccinated animals are capable of developing a viraemia when bitten by a midge. With an efficacious inactivated vaccine no viraemia should be seen at any stage - there should never be any live virus in the animal to multiply up."
He goes on to make clear that
"naturally infected animals which have recovered and cleared all active virus may still have traces of viral RNA in their bloodstream, and therefore demonstrate a PCR-positive test result, for up to six months.
The same is true for midges - a PCR-positive result indicates that fragments of viral RNA are present, but not necessarily active virus. A midge which ingests a viraemic blood-meal but is not "competent" will never become infected - virus will never spread beyond the gut walls - but traces of viral RNA remaining in the gut may cause it to show up as PCR-positive."
Dr Wilson explains that several papers have recently been published claiming that a species has been "confirmed" as a vector on the basis of a PCR-positive result (when in fact this shows only that the individual has fed on an infected animal - nothing about the potential for onwards transmission) This remnant of viral RNA has been a major cause of the current confusion over which Culicoides species are acting as vectors in northern Europe; The suggestion a few years ago that BTV might be able to spread vertically from adult midges to their offspring was based on a PCR-positive result rather than virus isolation. His recent overwintering review article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0060210 He confirms that during the "vector-free" period the risk of onwards transmission is minimised,
"but given the various findings during 2008 about secondary transmission routes and the possibility of vectors sheltering in animal housing I suspect that most policy-makers would be nervous about saying that the risk is actually zero during this period."
Read email in full

December 7 2008 ~ The term "carrier" is open to misinterpretation. A PCR positive result doesn't always mean the animal is infective for the midge

In yesterday's Scotsman we read "there have been several incidences of imported cattle and sheep being diagnosed as carriers..."
In this context the term "carrier" is misleading as it suggests that imported animals showing a PCR positive result can infect other animals. Only culicoides midges can infect other animals. The real meaning of carrier is for animals persistently infected. Warmwell.com is grateful to Sabine Zentis for this comment:
The animals imported will eventually clear the virus and whether they pose a threat is dependent on different factors:
1. a PCR positive result doesn't always mean the animal is infective for the midge and if the animal has been vaccinated according to the vaccine manufacturers instructions it can develop a very low level viraemia WHEN bitten by an infective midge. The PCR then is of course positive but this doesn't mean that the animal has enough virus to infect a midge.
2. the same can be said for animals that have been infected, lets say, in July and are imported in December. By then the antibodies should have cleard the viraemia and although the PCR gives a positive result this animal certainly don't pose a risk. It is possible to establish the status of an animal; this requires virus isolation or consecutive PCR blood tests to calculate the time of infection.
3. Without an active vector population (looking outside, I doubt there are any Culicoides around at the moment) these animals don't pose a risk, at least as long as no other, yet unknown ways of transmission are "invented".
This is not to say, of course, that we do not share the general worry about such imports that are unnecessary from areas where the various strains of virus are circulating.

December 5 2008 ~ EU Commission is urged to establish a European Bluetongue vaccine bank

Sabine Ohm of PROVIEH has, jointly with Neil Parish (Conservative MEP for the South West UK and Gibraltar) and Sabine Zentis, written a letter to Commissioner Vassiliou about a vaccine bank for BTV and they have given their kind permission for this to be publicised on warmwell.com. Extract from the letter from Neil Parish:
"....I would stress that more must be done to keep livestock farmers informed; more transparency is needed and it would be beneficial if the Commission could advise Member States accordingly...... I would urge the Commission to consider the possibility of establishing a vaccine bank, which would stock genetic material from all known serotypes of Bluetongue. This seed stock of serotypes could then be made available to contracted vaccine producers in case of any further outbreaks of Bluetongue. Vaccine production could thus be stepped up enormously and vaccine could be provided without delay, preventing the virus from spreading over vast territories and threatening many livestock holdings all over the EU." Read in full

December 5 2008 ~ Can the Commission explain why it is planning a vaccine bank for African Horse sickness but not for Bluetongue virus?

There are 24 known serotypes of Bluetongue Virus and seven (see FG) are already circulating in the EU. An EU parliamentary question is tabled to urge the development of an EU vaccine bank for BTV and ask the Commission to explain why it is planning a vaccine bank for African Horse sickness but not for Bluetongue virus. (See question)

December 4 2008 ~ Prionics offers the PrioCHECK(R) BTV DR, a diagnostic test that detects all 24 BTV serotypes known.

More information at www.zampbioworld.org "The new Prionics PrioCHECK(R) BTV DR can detect very low titers of anti-BTV antibodies already at post infection day 6 in sheep and at post infection day 7 in cattle. Infection detection dates were determined in a study conducted by the OIE Reference Laboratory in Pirbright, England, where experimentally infected animals were tested with the PrioCHECK(R) BTV DR at various days post infection. .. The new test is also highly suitable for vaccination programs that are applied to combat Bluetongue. The Prionics test can be used to identify immunized animals making it a useful tool for monitoring the success of these programs...."

December 4 2008 ~ " EU to rewrite vaccination and livestock movement rules" says Farmers Weekly

SCOFCAH seem to be saying that movement rules can be tightened up - but that this must not be seen as a mechanism to introduce a ban on imports.
Jonathan Riley and Nancy Nicolson, writing in the Farmers Weekly:
"...A meeting of the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health voted on 3 December for changes and details are beginning to emerge. It appears movement rules for importing livestock into the UK could be tightened up....certain areas of the EU would eventually be able to vaccinate animals while still allowing authorities to impose extra conditions on importing from zones where the disease was known to circulate.
.... some areas which have begun vaccinating will no longer have to freely accept stock from infected areas, as is currently the case..."
But, as the Farmers Guardian report below also makes clear, no one yet seems quite sure how this will work and how areas are to be defined. New vaccination zones will not become law for at least one month and perhaps for as long as two months.

December 4 2008 ~ Yesterday's EU decision brings pre-emptive vaccination nearer

Alistair Driver and William Surman write in the Farmers Guardian
".... Yesterday (Wednesday, December 3), the Brussels animal health committee agreed to allow new 'vaccination zones' where animals can be vaccinated, but the zones do not have to accept animals from infected areas elsewhere in the EU.... The changes may mean the UK, or parts of it, could, for instance, now declare a BTV1 vaccination zone even if no disease is circulating, while simultaneously restricting imports from areas where BTV1 is circulating, such as parts of France." Read in full
An NFU spokesman in Brussels is quoted: "This is a welcome movement in the right direction. We now need to look at exactly how we can implement the rules across the UK. If these rules had been in place two years ago we could have had pre-emptive vaccination against the disease and we may not (sic) have imported any bluetongue in the first place" (Odd - and worrying - use of the word "imported". It wrongly implies that it was imported animals rather than the arrival of infected midges that carried the disease to the UK.)

December 2 2008 ~ DEFRA's Bluetongue Control Strategy has been updated.

DEFRA says, "The revised Strategy reflects lessons learned since its original publication in August 2007, addresses new risks, and reflects the developing situation in continental Europe and associated risks of incursion of new serotypes. This replaces the original strategy which was first published in 2007." See updated Strategy file. (pdf) Page 31 of the 33 page document con tains a table which "identifies further considerations for some of the measures outlined in this control strategy when faced with multiple serotypes and in particular, opportunities to consolidate/combine controls."
Emailed comments very welcome.

December 1 2008 ~ SCOFCAH to discuss plans to re-vamp Europe's bluetongue controls tomorrow

Member States are anxious to impose import bans from areas where disease is currently circulating. The Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCOFCAH) in Brussels will - on Tuesday - discuss the idea that Europe could be split into four zones
• free areas
• vaccination zones with no disease circulating
• vaccination zones where virus is circulating
• virus circulation zones where there is no vaccination
Jack Davies' article in the Farmers Guardian says,
"SCOFCAH will also use the meeting to discuss the potential to allow preventative vaccination in disease free areas"
Using vaccination pre-emptively is the logical and rational thing to do - and it has been extraordinary that this has not, up until now, been allowed by the European Union.

November 30/ Dec 1 2008 ~ they 'know' because the labs are too secure that Bluetongue type 6 did not escape from the Central Veterinary Institute (Wageningen)

From the report of the Lelystad Symposium on Emerging vector borne viral diseases, kindly sent by Christine Bijl in the Netherlands, we learn that several of the speakers and researchers are still comparing the exact print of the BTV6 outbreak virus to the Onderstepoort-MLV ( monovalent live vaccine). "Only if they find an identical match on all parts will they say it came from an MLV-vaccine. And this could have been used by a keeper who prematurely wanted to protect his animals against type 1, using the SA-cocktail containing 1 and 6. And it could also be an illegal transport of animals from Israel, where they vaccinate against type 6, through Bulgaria and Rumania with its poor surveillance etc. It's doubtful if we will ever know the truth..." Read report in full.

November 30/ Dec 1 2008 ~ Report from the Symposium Emerging vector borne viral diseases - Lelystad, November 28, 2008

The Central Veterinary Institute at Wageningen is preparing for spread by insects of the so-called vector borne diseases. The symposium covered epidemiology and control of five important vector borne viral diseases,
• Bluetongue (BT)
• African horse sickness (AHS)
• West Nile fever (WNF)
• Rift Valley fever (RVF)
• Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF).
As the website points out, some of the emerging diseases can infect humans causing "serious health problems, frequently resulting in death".
Warmell.com is very grateful to Christine Bijl and ELA for this fascinating report.

November 27 2008 ~ "inactivated vaccines against BTV serotypes 1, 2, 4, and 8 should be currently available.....the industry needs EU coordination - Member States to launch a call for tender ... rapidly followed by confirmation of orders ..."

ProMed moderator, AS, in the posting 20081126.3725, says
"On 21 Nov 2007, the EU Health & Consumer Protection DG held a meeting in Brussels with 8 vaccine producers, addressing the availability of vaccines against bluetongue. According to the report (EU document D1/MCG/mb(07)D/412950), inactivated vaccines against BTV serotypes 1, 2, 4, and 8 should be currently available. ... Will BTV-6 vaccine be added to the arsenal? - Mod.AS]
The pdf file referred to, containing the conclusions of the meeting with vaccine producers, and a table showing "only a preliminary indication of the capacity for vaccine" can be found here.
Eight vaccine producers (Intervet, Pfizer, Fort Dodge, Syva, I.Z.S. Teramo, Calier, CZ Veterinaria, Merial, Ceva Santé Animal) were involved and the conclusions were:
• All companies attending the meeting are currently developing vaccines against Bluetongue and some of them are already producing against certain serotypes
• Vaccines producers provided assurance that they have enough production capacity to supply vaccines for mass vaccination in the EU against bluetongue (considering that the need might be up to 220 million doses of all serotypes of which 150 million doses for BTV-8 according to the preliminary estimates made by the Member States).
• In order to be able to provide the necessary amount of vaccines, the industry needs the Member States to launch a call for tender in the Member States. This must be rapidly followed by confirmation of orders such that production can be commenced given that the lag time between orders being received and product being delivered may be up to 6 - 8 months
• Vaccine producers asked for coordination between EMEA, DG ENTR and DG SANCO on the authorisation of vaccines suitable for mass vaccination (multistrain dossiers and requirements for bluetongue vaccines in emergency vaccination are already addressed in EMEA working documents).
Full pdf file It cannot be too strongly emphasied that Member States must both tender for and then confirm orders for vaccines so that the producers can make the necessary doses available as quickly as possible. Not surprisingly, the vaccine producers are calling for coordination within the EU.

November 27 2008 ~ ProMed posting on BTV1 in the UK and BTV-1 ex France, BTV-6 in the Netherlands

ProMed posting 20081126.3725 quotes the relevant Farmers Guardian article (see below), DEFRA page and also the Darlington and Stockton Times which quotes Peter Kendall and Peter Morris, both calling for a halt to all imports from countries where bluetongue strains are known to be circulating.
As usual, the moderator's comments are important. Extract:
The expressed frustration of the UK farmers, who are requested to refrain voluntarily from imports which are allowed according to EU existing regulations, is understandable. Those regulations date back to the pre-BTV era, when the whole of Europe was regarded BTV-free.
The introduction of BTV-1-infected animals into the Netherlands, UK (and, apparently, Belgium) is not surprising under such conditions: it is rather surprising that such cases are limited, reportedly, to these countries..... The over-wintering capacity of bluetongue in Europe has been clearly demonstrated during 2 winters; an enhanced vaccination effort is required before the next bluetongue season.... (read in full)

November 25/26 2008 ~ Pre vaccination blood tests should be undertaken by the exporter and insisted on by the importer

"From a diagnostic and virologist point of view," says Dr Ruth Watkins,
"when vaccinating cattle for possible export - (valuable animals that are special in some way) - blood samples should be taken and stored at the time vaccination is begun and then, three weeks after the second dose of vaccination, when it is known for sure that animals are going to be exported, a further blood sample should be taken. Both blood samples should then be tested for the presence of antibody and checked for bluetongue virus RNA1 and 8 or other serotypes.
While such tests might cost up to £100 pounds or so, the £1000s spent on pedigree animals and transport puts such a figure in perspective. A farmer gets no compensation for imported animals that are subsequently culled - but if such testing were done before animals are moved into the UK it would do much for the safety of movements and the reputation - and pockets - of both importers and exporters."
She adds ruefully, "Most farmers don't understand enough about testing. Rational virus diagnosis - i.e. using all the tests at your command - is not routinely practised and understood in veterinary medicine - but surely farmers would rather these tests were done." (phone conversation)

November 25/26 2008 ~ "Regarding the origin of the BTV-6 strain.. the "flower" route has yet to be ruled out, but is far from being confirmed.."

Warmwell.com is very grateful to Anthony Wilson of IAH Pirbright for an email clarifying what can and cannot be deduced from the sequencing work done so far. Extract:
"...There are therefore two possibilities - the virus escaped outside Europe and was then imported, or the virus escaped following vaccine use within Europe. While we cannot absolutely rule either of these scenarios out, BTV-6 does not occur in the same bottle of the SA vaccine as BTV-8, while BTV-8 does not occur at all in the Israeli vaccine; there would therefore be no reason why anyone would want to use a vaccine containing BTV-6 in the BTV-8 zone. ...
Secondly, we still do not know how BTV-8 got into northern Europe - there is no "smoking gun", but there are a number of possibilities (each relatively unlikely, unfortunately). The "flower theory" arose from the observation that many serotypes of BTV circulate in sub-Saharan Africa, and that cut flowers from these regions may be packed at night, under brightly-lit, open-sided buildings; these buildings are therefore qualitatively similar to the light traps we use to trap midges, but much larger. The packed containers are wrapped in polythene and chilled to keep the flowers fresh, and midges are capable of surviving for relatively long periods under cool conditions. This route has therefore yet to be ruled out, but is far from being confirmed."
The email is concise and clear. It should be read in full.
(An email just in from a UK vet says, "Whilst this (flower) route may only be theoretical, it is of interest to note early outbreaks in East Anglia were near trunk roads A12 & A14 which serve Harwich and Felixstowe. Harwich I know has Many Dutch Flower Lorries passing through.)

November 25 2008 ~ BTV1 in North West - reports from both Farmers Guardian and Farmers Weekly

Farmers Weekly says, "NSA chief executive Peter Morris told Farmers Weekly that the cattle, from an area of France currently battling strains one and eight, had been moved perfectly legally having been vaccinated against bluetongue strains one and eight 60 days before travelling to the UK. But, the cattle appear to have been infected with type one of the disease around the same time as they were vaccinated and showed low level viremia when post-imported tested by DEFRA.... it is believed the virus was present only at a very low level."
Jack Davies of the Farmers Guardian reports that these were pedigree cows imported from France - and that they have been killed:
"Chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens said: "Taking into account the epidemiological evidence and the consideration of the risk represented to British livestock, I have taken the decision to cull these animals."
Some might feel that - even if by a miracle female midges somehow managed to survive travel with them - the current cold weather makes the risk of spread impossible. Culling these pedigree animals might seem more of a public relations exercise for the ignorant than a necessary measure.
The DEFRA website has now been updated.

November 25 2008 ~ BTV1 is now in England, a farm in the North West, near Blackpool.

Warmwell.com has heard the alarming news that BTV1 has been discovered on a farm in the North West. We, like others, are waiting for more information. DEFRA has yet to confirm the discovery (7 pm) but we hope for official confirmation shortly.

November 25 2008 ~ Only a properly encouraged vaccination coverage can stop Bluetongue in its tracks - post import checks won't do it.

It is hard not to follow the progress of the DEFRA's attempts to protect our livestock from Bluetongue without feeling foreboding. As Professor Geoff Simm, - head of SAC Edinburgh's Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, and particularly concerned about the survival of rare breeds threatened by Bluetongue - said in July
" . Protecting biodiversity in our farm animals and crops is important to help us meet future challenges, including that of feeding the growing human population in a sustainable way. We also have important national and international obligations to do so....."Read in full
Without adequate vaccination coverage in farmed ruminants - and that really does have to approach 100% given the numbers of unvaccinated wild deer - there will be scant chance of stopping the virus when infected midges arrive. Official checks on the efficacy of the vaccination campaign are urgently needed. For DEFRA to speak of its "post-import tests on all animals imported from any area in continental Europe, for all Bluetongue serotypes" and that DEFRA is "working with experts and vaccine manufacturers to review preparedness for incursions of any serotype of Bluetongue" leaves out of the equation the vital fact that bluetongue is spread by midges. Infected animals do not infect each other. BTV1 and BTV8 are just across the Channel and to assume that the midges will not come into the UK as they did last year is surely irrational? Post import tests will not stop the midges. Only a properly encouraged vaccination coverage can stop Bluetongue in its tracks. .

November 25 2008 ~ What systems exist to monitor the prevalence of blue tongue disease throughout the UK? asked James Paice

(Hansard) In her written answer, Jane Kennedy replied that there were " a number of scanning and targeted surveillance measures" including "specific surveillance work" targeted at what she called ""higher risk areas" and the "post-import tests" for all bluetongue serotypes James Paice's next question [237133, worryingly and wrongly designated "Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination" by Hansard for the second time] asked "what systems are in place to establish (a) how many doses of BtV8 vaccine have been purchased by farmers from vets and (b) what proportion of them have been administered."
Jane Kennedy could only repeat that
"no definitive figures can be provided on the numbers of sales from veterinary practices to farmers, or the number of livestock actually vaccinated....sales data from the supply chain suggest enough vaccine has been sold to vaccinate around 60 per cent...." (Read Hansard)
For those aware of the effects of bluetongue and desperate that vaccination coverage must approach 100%, this might sound like the most languid complacency.

November 24 2008 ~ EFSA's attempt to assess risks linked to Bluetongue transmission during transit

The EU Commission's recent request to the European Food Safety Authority's Animal Health and Welfare Panel was to look at the risk of transmission of bluetongue when animals are in transit and the impact of different control measures in reducing spread. The objectives were
(i) to determine the factors that contribute to the risk of bluetongue transmission in transit as defined in Reg. 1266/2007, and
(ii) to evaluate the likely impact of different control measures in reducing the spread of bluetongue virus (BTV), including the appropriateness of treatment of animals and transport vehicles with insecticides or repellents.
EFSA's opinion can be read here - ( a summary can be seen at www.medicalnewstoday.com) However, EFSA seems to feel that in view of lack of data and " the difficulty of estimating parameters associated with vector biology" their conclusions about risk must remain somewhat vague.
"...data provided by the member states were not sufficient for the panel to be able to precisely assess the effect of the transit of animals during the "seasonally vector-free period" on BTV transmission." (www.medicalnewstoday.com)
One positive statement however was that "...with regard to the selection of animals to be transported, the available data indicates that vaccination may be more effective in reducing the risk of BTV transmission during transit than testing animals before transportation..."

November 23 2008 ~ "Due thanks MUST be given to researchers at Pirbright, who have done a fantastic job in unwravelling the conundrums that the appearance of BTV in Europe posed."

Warmwell.com is very grateful to Nick Clayton, the Honorary Secretary of the Goat Veterinary Society, who has kindly answered our request for any more information on the theory that BTV6 might have been spread by imported flowers. Extract from email:
"... Things move so fast that whatever any of us say at any time, is likely to be superceded within a few days!... The talk by Anthony Wilson, a specialist Epidemiologist from Pirbright, at GVS on Thursday, was highly illuminating. When BTV6 was first reported in Holland, it was thought "almost certainly", to be a live vaccine strain that had "escaped" - as can happen with live bluetongue vaccine. That theory was based on the closeness of the DNA typing of the strain to the one used in multivalent live vaccines in several parts of the world. The argument against that is that none of the other strains in the relevant vaccine had been found on surveillance.
According to Anthony, over the last few days, it is now thought that in fact the strain of BTV6 found in Holland and Germany, is a natural strain, imported from abroad. That has two implications. Firstly it could overwinter, as did BTV8 in 2006/7, and secondly, how did it get there. The common factor between the "import" of BTV8 and BTV6 is that virus carrying midges could have been imported with flowers from regions known to be infected with those strains of BTV, which are known to circulate where the flowers came from. Unless a more likely scenario emerges, that is as they say, the perceived wisdom."
Read full email. (The imported flower route remains a theory. It is one of several avenues to be investigated and there is no real question of confirmation for its having been the source of BTV6 in Northern Europe.)

November 22 2008 ~ "Not a single vet in the room could report a genuine side effect in cattle sheep or goats which was not subsequently explained by other disease or mishap."

The website Devonfinefibres.wordpress.com reports on the Goat Society ( GVS) Meeting last Thursday. It seems that goat owners have been extremely responsible about vaccinating even though, for goats, 6 monthly boosters are essential because of its relatively poor immune system compared to sheep. On the subject of vaccine performance and the threat from other strains:
"...Not a single vet in the room could report a genuine side effect in cattle sheep or goats which was not subsequently explained by other disease or mishap. There was good evidence that most rumours were spread initially by farmers who were looking for excuses not to vaccinate....
The next big threat to us is BTV1 which is now in Brittany... A vaccine is on the way but when and how is not yet known. The recent discovery of BTV6 in Holland (the same place as BTV8 was first found) has led to much work on the virus origins by the government laboratories. It now seems (and this is hot off the press from the government vets) that it and the particular type of BTV8 we have, were carried into Holland in cut flowers imported from Africa. Midges settle on the flowers in the opensided packing stations, are chilled in the refrigerators (apparently the BT midge can live for 3 months in the fridge in "suspended" animation) and then of course, released into Holland to infect cattle! International trade is good for the Kenyans etc but what about our livestock?..." Read in full
(We have heard the flower theory before and would welcome confirmation that this is now considered confirmed as the route of infection.)

November 21 2008 ~ Nigel Miller: "We need a UK-wide health policy and we need it now.".

Farmers Weekly reports that the NFU Scotland's Vice President wants all producers in the UK to ban imports from Northern Europe
".... To avoid the introduction of any strains, we require farmers to put in place a complete ban on the introduction of animals from Europe into the UK. .... to be truly effective, we also need Europe to bolster its legislation on bluetongue....producers in Scotland need to get behind the vaccination campaign. ...The newly launched Bluetongue Helpline, will also help ensure that Scotland gets this vital vaccination process right..."
See NFUS site (The Scottish Government Bluetongue Helpline number is 0845 155 3366)
One comment on the FWiSpace forum: "The Scottish government had the option to join in with a UK wide bluetongue policy at the back end of last year and chose not to and has spent the better part of 12 procrastinating on the subject of vaccination. Scotland won't be in any way vulnerable if all its farmers comply with their compulsory vaccination policy..." (Read in full)

November 20 2008 ~ "DEFRA remains alert to the spread of BTV-1..."

Hansard On Monday, Robert Key asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the risk of the BTV1 strain of bluetongue reaching the UK from France; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Kennedy replied: "... DEFRA remains alert to the spread of BTV-1 through France and monitors the risk carefully. In addition to the movement controls on animals from BTV-1 zones on the continent, implemented under EU legislation, DEFRA continues to conduct post-import tests on all animals imported from any area in continental Europe, for all Bluetongue serotypes. This means that all types of Bluetongue can be detected through routine testing. DEFRA (is)....working with experts and vaccine manufacturers to review preparedness for incursions of any serotype of Bluetongue."

November 20 2008 ~ Vaccination in the north of England "may be less than 40 per cent." - and over 5 million pounds-worth of BTV-8 vaccine remains unsold

Hansard Jane Kennedy continued
"...sales data from the supply chain suggest the overall uptake of vaccine across the whole of England is around 60 per cent. Sales data indicate that uptake in (a) East Anglia may be in the region of 80 per cent. or above, (b) in the south-west may be slightly lower than this, and (c) in the north of England may be less than 40 per cent."
When Robert Key asked how many unused doses of bluetongue vaccine there were in England; and what their value was, Jane Kennedy replied: "Out of 28 million doses purchased by DEFRA, approximately 12 million doses of Bluetongue serotype 8 vaccine remain in the supply chain (i.e. are not yet sold to veterinary practices). The value of this unsold vaccine is approximately £5,011,713. DEFRA are working with the farming industry and supply chain to plan for the use of existing stocks of vaccine to vaccinate animals ahead of the 2009 risk period."

November 20 2008 ~ East Yorks NFU "delighted with the way farmers have responded" - but questions remain

In spite of widespread concern that vaccination take-up has not been good enough to protect the country, we read in www.humberbusiness.com that officials from the York East NFU say there has been a good response to the rallying call that livestock farmers complete the vaccination programme before Christmas. Most animals have now been vaccinated, they say.
Unfortunately, DEFRA is not able to judge the percentage of vaccination take-up in the country. The worryingly low figure of 60% uptake represents the amount of vaccine recorded as having been delivered to veterinary surgeons; there are no accurate figures on actual usage on farms. As a correspondent writes, "This is the first 'test' of cost sharing and responsibility and raises the obvious question - is this the correct approach for a notifiable disease?"

November 19 2008 ~ EU proposals to permit vaccination in disease free areas

(The proposal is on the EU website as are presentations of Member States on the Bluetongue situation.)
http://ec.europa.eu/food/committees/regulatory/scfcah/animal_health/presentations_en.htm#12112008
The European Commission is to tighten movement restrictions in the wake of confirmation of BTV6 in the Netherlands. Stricter movement restrictions have now been put in place in Germany and the Netherlands to help prevent the bluetongue virus spreading and there are, at last, proposals to permit vaccination in disease free areas whilst preventing the import of animals from areas where the virus is circulating.
7thspace.com says
"Proposals to amend bluetongue legislation and permit vaccination in disease free areas whilst preventing the import of animals from areas where the virus is circulating are also welcomed."
The SNP website reports that MEP, Mr Alyn Smith, Scotland's only full member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, has requested an urgent meeting with Commissioner Vassiliou in order to communicate the conclusions of a recent Royal Society of Edinburgh report that EU policy must change as it is currently making Bluetongue control more difficult. He is quoted:
"Today's confirmation (i.e. of BTV6 in Holland) underlines the fact that the entire EU exotic disease regime must be looked at again.... I'm not convinced our disease management system will cope.... there is a clear need to change the zoning of areas when vaccination programmes are undertaken. There is a lot of expertise the Commission can call on to reform the regime and I'm delighted Scots scientists are so to the fore."

November 19 2008 ~ More cases of BTV1 found in France yesterday and today

The french website GDS18 reports that a new case of BTV1 was found in the Finistere area of Brittany and also at Ségur in the departement of Aveyron.
The statistics for France are as grim as ever:
23 565 cases of Bluetongue strain 8 from virus circulating this year. 3 582 cases of Bluetongue strain 1, 77 premises where both 1 and 8 have been found.
A larger map, dated today, showing the areas of France affected, can be seen here.

November 17 2008 ~ BTV-8 found in imported French sheep both in Gloucestershire and Dorset

DEFRA says that "post import testing has detected Bluetongue infection in one imported sheep on a premises in Gloucestershire, and in a further consignment of six imported cattle on a premises in Dorset (infection with BTV8). All of these animals originated in France. See Defra website for details.

November 14 2008 ~ EU conference dominated by bluetongue disease.

The Farmers Guardian says that at the Brussels conference
"...many delegates claimed the large scale vaccination policy was a failure as it was only implemented after the disease was well established and, in many cases, out of control."
The view that "the disease has been made worse by livestock movements between farms and across member states' borders" is mere common sense and, since a return to localised food production cannot happen in the short term, the need for vaccines cannot be overemphasised. But vaccine has to be manufactured - a lengthy process - and where there is no apparent commitment from governments to pay for the preparation of vaccines against diseases that have not yet taken hold, the result can be a grim game of catch-up made worse by the widespread assertion that vaccines threatens trade. In fact, it is trade itself that threatens animals. The globalisation of food means vast numbers of often untracked movements of live animals, often in very poor conditions. As ProMed said very recently,
"the threat of emerging infectious diseases to global health has been increasing over time. As international travel and trade have proliferated, disease-causing agents now have the ability to move around the globe at faster rates."

November 14 ~ BTV-6 - That only one to 2 animals per holding have been found infected by BTV-6 on each affected farm "is puzzling"

ProMed quotes (and translates) the Agrarisch Dagblad article from Nov 12 giving information derived from the Central Veterinary Institute in Lelystad. Extract:
"... surveillance, carried out around the 1st affected farms in Eastern Netherlands, has been practically completed. So far, 11 farms have been found affected; all the affected animals are cows with the exception of one single sheep. The fact that only one to 2 animals have been found infected (by PCR) in each of the 11 farms is puzzling, but serological tests may follow to help in clarifying the situation.
In addition to the infections in the Netherlands, 4 cattle holdings have been found infected last week in Germany (Bentheim, Lower Saxony). No other BTV-6 cases have been discovered elsewhere in Europe."
See ProMed (It is interesting too that the infected animals tend to be cows.)

November 14 ~ Origins of this "enigmatic outbreak" of BTV6 not yet solved

This, from the Institute is also quoted on ProMed:
"It has been suggested that the virus could have arrived in the region as the result of illegal use of live attenuated BTV vaccines, and Bottle-A of the South African BTV vaccine does contain BTV-1, a strain of current concern in many regions of Europe. However, the absence of antibodies to multiple other serotypes in the antiserum from Heeten indicates that this animal at least had not received either of the multivalent vaccine preparations that are known to have been generated by OBP in South Africa."
Moderator AS says
"To reach final conclusions about the origin of this enigmatic outbreak, the expected results of the serological tests in Lelystad and of the sequencing of the entire genome of the new virus strain in Pirbright should be taken into consideration"
Read in full

November 14 ~ BTV-6 "...more needs to be done to determine and confirm the origin of this outbreak"

Lungile Bonga, Communications Officer Onderstepoort Biological Products Ltd, has written to Promed with the following statement:
"The origin of the BTV-6 in the Netherlands has for a while been associated with the vaccine strain from Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP). At OBP, we feel that this is inconclusive, and we wish to affirm our availability to assist in any way reasonably possible. We believe that more needs to be done to determine and confirm the origin of this outbreak through comparative sequencing studies and phylogenic comparisons of the whole genome of the vaccine strain to isolates of wild type BTV's from Africa and Asia. Only then can an acceptable confirmation in terms of origin of the BTV-6 be made. We do know that the BTV phylogeny of South African and, for that matter, African viruses have on VP2 alone a close serotype relatedness with each other and the vaccine strain."

November 12/13 ~ vaccination plan for 2009 will be published "by December of this year"

Parliamentary answers on BTV6 vaccine and unused stocks of BTV8 vaccine are here. (The heading for PQs 233350 and 233351 were erroneously given on Hansard as Bovine TB vaccination.) After pointing out that there is as yet no European vaccine for BTv6 and that DEFRA "is in discussion with potential vaccine providers, the veterinary profession and industry stakeholders about plans for 2009", Jane Kennedy said,
"The 2009 vaccination strategy for Bluetongue serotype eight is currently being discussed with stakeholders. This includes consideration of the role the existing surplus can play in meeting future demand before the vaccine expires. Further details will be announced following these discussions with the expectation that the vaccination plan will be published by December of this year. This will be made available on the DEFRA website."
Hansard

November 11 2008 ~ Christiane Glossop warns "the risk of bluetongue continues to be high"

The letter from Wales' Chief Veterinary Officer can be read on www.walesonline.co.uk. It reveals real anxiety that Welsh farmers' complacency or ignorance is putting the country at risk.
If the doses of vaccine are not used then the fear expressed by Nicky Paull, president of the British Veterinary Association, might well become a reality
"Our big concern is that if farmers don't use the vaccine this year, the pharmaceutical companies might not produce it for the UK market next year.
If there is demand in Europe and not in the UK, they will be putting their vaccines into wherever they will get the sales. ... they will be thinking about their shareholders, not necessarily the farmers, so we have to keep demand up to make sure we have access to vaccine next year."

November 10 2008 ~ Updated map of European restriction zones from EU

See also EU's Bluetongue Page The link to the full sized map (pdf) is here at http://ec.europa.eu (new window) or click on the map on the left

The NFU website today gives the following additional notes:

• " BTV 1 - New areas in Spain.
• BTV 6 - Found in Germany.
• BTV 6 - Police investigations into the source of the outbreak in The Netherlands continue.
• BTV 8 - Found in Austria for the first time.
• BTV 8 - Spreading in Hungary.
• EU map has not been updated to include Scotland yet.
• France
  21,614 cases of BTV 8
  3,340 cases of BTV 1
  68 Cases of BTV 1 & 8 on same farm
• Now BTV 6 has been confirmed in the Netherlands the new zone has extended into Germany. This should not be seen as an extension of the disease rather Germany and The Netherlands putting in place the EU controls now that a new zone/outbreak has been confirmed (don't forget the original zone was a voluntary national ban until the situation was clearer).
• An EU veterinary task force will be in Holland next week to help, investigate, etc.
  The Spread of BTV8 in Spain is very worrying. The new colour (which can only be described as diarrhoea brown) is the old blue BTV1&4 zone with BTV8 thrown in." NFU website
(Vaccination in France against serotype 1 and 8, which has been voluntary up until now, is compulsory for the next twelve months except for animals under 10 months going to slaughter, or those destined for slaughter from closed and protected premises french source)

November 9/10 2008 ~ BTV-1 - "a significant leap of this virus"

ProMed reports the OIE WAHID interface, Weekly Disease Information on the current situation in Portugal. (OIE) The moderator comments:
"The current discovery of this serotype in northern Portugal, an area hitherto not affected, means a significant leap of this virus, which now covers vast areas in the Iberian peninsula and France. The potential of BTV-1 to expand its spread in Europe has recently been demonstrated by the discovery of 2 BTV-1 positive cows, imported from France to the Netherlands through Belgium. According to a press release of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture dated 7 Nov 2008, the 2 cows, which were imported on 8 Oct 2008, have been euthanised following their discovery on a farm in the Dutch province Gelderland. Animals in the vicinity of the importing farms are being tested; results will become available during the coming week..."
The posting (PRO/AH> Bluetongue - Europe (74): OIE) also considers Austria (BTV-8) and Greece (untyped). and (see below) BTV-6 in Germany.

November 9/10 2008 ~ BTV-6 "source of the infection and/or the route of its introduction remain, for the time being, unknown"

ProMed gives the OIE WAHID interface, Weekly Disease Information (OIE) of the BTV-6 event in Germany. The Moderator remarks: "The above is the official confirmation and notification of the event reported in ProMED-mail posting 20081107.3494. The 3 affected farms are located in County Bentheim, Lower Saxony, very close to the border with the Netherlands and in particular to the BTV-6 affected Dutch province Overijssel (see the map included in the above notification; zoom in). It would be interesting to note which clinical signs were observed (the "Nature of diagnosis" included "Clinical").
The source of the infection and/or the route of its introduction remain, for the time being, unknown. The epidemiological comment, addressing the EU approach towards vaccination (against BTV-6?) is somewhat vague; do the authorities suspect that an uncertified BTV vaccine has been applied locally? Clarification would help." See ProMed or our post below

November 8 2008 ~ Agrarisch Dagblad report on BTV-1 in the Netherlands

The Agrarisch Dagblad report says that 2 animals testing positive for BTV-1 entered the Netherlands yesterday from South West France via a Belgian cattle trader. The Belgian government gave details of the transport movements to the Dutch ministry . One animal has been traced so far - to a stock breeder in Ophemert. No additional measures have been put in place since these are considered solitary cases.

November 7 2008 ~ "inspection authorities are always one step behind or cannot get a grip on the complicated networks of trade contacts and transport movements"

Reacting to the news that suspected BTV-1 has been found in a cow that was exported to the Netherlands from France through Belgium (blood samples have been taken and the results will be known next week), the Dutch Association for small farmers and smallholders (NBvH) is asking the Dutch government for extra measures to protect animals from disease brought into the country by imports. Their secretary Christine Bijl says,
"... NBvH is very concerned about the role that the trade sector plays in importing animal diseases. These diseases 'globalise' more and more. Animal transports go to and from all places in the world, while the system gets less and less transparent. Now it is bluetongue, before it was tuberculosis, tomorrow it might be foot and mouth again or swine fever."
NBvH press release

November 7 2008 ~ BTv-6 - EU Commission plans to reevaluate the situation and measures on 11 Nov 2008.

It is assumed that BTV 6 in the Netherlands was caused by the illegal use of a BTV-6 vaccine. If a live vaccine has been being used illegally, it remains to be seen if the virus is actually circulating.
ProMed's latest posting (Extract from www.ml.niedersachsen.de translated by Sabine Zentis):
"...In the 4 affected cattle herds from the Netherlands, clinical symptoms have occurred. ... these farms are not connected with each other.
....Wed 5 Nov 2008 the Friedrich Loeffler Institute demonstrated the BTV serotype 6 genome in 4 samples of cattle from Bentheim county. Virus isolation and further genetic characterizations are under way. Because of the location of the farms, ... In Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, 3 zones (20 km, 50 km and 150 km around the affected holdings) are established where certain surveillance activities and movement restrictions for susceptible animals are in place. In Lower Saxony, there are around 17,900 cattle, sheep and goat farms with a total of about 1.36 million cattle, 83 000 sheep, and 4500 goats affected by the current restriction zones..."
Read in full

November 7 2008 ~ More on the virus "Toggenburg Orbivirus [TOV]"

ProMed carries further information about the "new" virus found in Switzerland sent by the Deputy State Epizootiologist in Uppsala
"...Antibodies to this virus were detected in imported animals (i.e. goats) in Sweden earlier this year...it was decided to send the animals back. However, the owner could not organize this, and, eventually, the animals were culled. Some samples were sent to the reference laboratory in the UK, but they were unable to culture any virus from the material..."
The moderator comments: "...So far, Switzerland remains the only country known to be infected. The possible presence of this novel virus in other European countries, though plausible, is yet to be studied. This does, however, show that TOV-infected animals would most likely come up positive in serological surveillance for BTV but that the virus may go undetected in PCR systems designed for specific BTV serotypes." Read ProMed posting in full

November 7 2008 ~ Extract from pdf file "Genetic Characterization of Toggenburg Orbivirus, a New Bluetongue Virus, from Goats, Switzerland"

[Epub ahead of print] by Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis, Mittelhaeusern, Switzerland for publication in Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 Dec
".....Only the segment 10-specific rRT-PCR showed a positive result, whereas all segment 5- and segment 1-specific assays did not detect TOV. These findings demonstrate the importance of selecting an appropriate rRT-PCR protocol for detection of TOV and other unusual BTV-like viruses. The fact that most diagnostic laboratories use segment 1- or segment 5-specific rRT-PCRs for routine detection of BTV might also explain why TOV has never been detected in other regions....."
See pdf file (This is a highly technical study)

November 7 2008 ~ Qiagen has licensed a molecular assay to detect all 24 strains of bluetongue.

Qiagen (registration needed) announced yesterday that it has licensed technology from the Institute for Animal Health for molecular testing for bluetongue...Called the cador BTV RT-PCR Ki and developed by the IAH, the planned launch is in 2009.
Qiagen said that the kit enables swift and sensitive detection of all 24 known BTV strains - including BTV-6 which has caused the latest outbreak of the disease in the Netherlands, and BTV-1, which has spread from North Africa, up to the north coast of France, now even detected in Brittany. Because bluetongue causes symptoms that are not specific to disease, "there is a growing demand for reliable and fast laboratory tests which might help to contain future outbreaks". Mortality rates can be as high as 70 percent.
Rapid on-site diagnostic testing for many animal diseases has been possible elsewhere for some time and the UK's reluctance since 2001 to make use of such kits in the fight against diseases such as foot and mouth remains a matter of deep concern and bafflement to those who are aware of the capabilities of such portable technology.

November 6 2008 ~ Merial says, "..nothing in the pipeline for BTV-6."

Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian quotes Brian Rice, veterinary manager for Merial Animal Health on the subject of BTV-6:
"This puts us in the same position we were in when BTV-8 first appeared in Europe. There was no vaccine then, and it was allowed to run riot until we could get one produced and licensed for use. ...a new vaccine would have to be developed and that can take up to a year..."
At present there have only been two limited areas (in Holland and Germany) of BTV-6 being found but there is always the risk that it might spread. The Institute of Animal Health at Pirbright said (see below) they were "currently sequencing the entire genome of the new virus strain to see if it is completely similar to the live vaccine strain or if it is a reassortant containing genome segments from other strains. This might provide additional indications concerning its origins and movement."
Importing stock increases the risk of new strains entering the UK. In addition, not vaccinating stock with available vaccine stocks increases the risk of BTv-8 becoming endemic and making manufacturers feel they are wasting time and effort on developing vaccines for the UK.

November 6 ~ And now, more cases of BTv6, this time in Germany

As feared, serotype 6, the strain of Bluetongue found in Holland (see below), has been found elsewhere. Today, 3 cows in Germany are reported as returning positive results for serotype 6. According to the German site www.dvfb.org/ we read that in the Bentheim district (our own informal translation) 3 cattle returned positive results for BTV 6 and a fourth cow's results are at present unclear. Restriction zones are being adjusted accordingly.
This is potentially alarming news. Vaccines that are being used in Northern Europe do not cover serotype 6 and the obvious worry is that the strain is spreading, either as a result of misuse of vaccine or- even worse - that midges themselves might be carrying the new strain. We should very much welcome informed comment. All the same, the priority is for British livestock to be protected against BTv8 and the complacency and lack of knowledge among some farmers causing them not to bother to vaccinate is very worrying indeed. As Nicky Paull, president of the British Veterinary Association, has said (Farmers Guardian Oct) :
"Our big concern is that if farmers don't use the vaccine this year, the pharmaceutical companies might not produce it for the UK market next year.
If there is demand in Europe and not in the UK, they will be putting their vaccines into wherever they will get the sales. ... they will be thinking about their shareholders, not necessarily the farmers, so we have to keep demand up to make sure we have access to vaccine next year."

November 5 ~ First case of Bluetongue in Austria - vaccination to take place in 150 km ring

The International Herald Tribune reports: "Austria's Health Ministry says a cow has tested positive for the bluetongue virus in the country's first ever case. .... The ministry says the virus was detected during routine checks in the northern Austrian district of Schaerding.
Health Minister Andrea Kdolsky said....animals at risk from the virus within 150 kilometers (93 miles) of the confirmed case would be monitored and inoculated."

November 4 2008 ~ The government does not know how many bluetongue vaccines have been administered in the last 12 months

Parliamentary Questions from Stephen Hesford and Andrew Rosindell drew disappointingly vague replies yesterday: "...no definitive figures can be provided on the numbers of livestock actually vaccinated." Read Hansard

November 3 2008 ~ When to vaccinate pregnant animals against Bluetongue

In response to the queries about "the optimum time to vaccinate pregnant ewes and cows" Dr Watkins writes clear advice:
" In my opinion pregnant animals can be vaccinated at any stage of their pregnancy with inactivated BTV vaccines. The whole point of an inactivated vaccine is that this is safe to do unlike the live modified vaccines. ... I looked to see if any other veterinary vaccines had saponin or quil A as adjuvants in them- this adjuvant is not yet used in human vaccines though it is being developed for use with more control in purity and composition than the current saponin and quil A which are derived from the bark of a tree (see Wikipedia under saponin). A vaccine called pregsure BVD for cattle has quil A and 3 other adjuvants in it and in the data sheet they advocate its use at any stage in the pregnancy and at any stage of getting pregnant or lactation. .... Any medication in pregnancy is carefully considered but there is no reason to believe that inactivated vaccines are a risk... "
Please read in full

November 2/3 2008 ~ The compulsory vaccination of more than 7 million cattle and sheep in Scotland begins

From Monday November 3, Scotland automatically falls into the Protection Zone. Scottish producers have until April 30 to vaccinate all cattle and sheep. The vaccination of other susceptible animals such as goats, farmed deer and llamas is voluntary, but government officials and farming organisations are urging owners to join in the vaccination campaign.
Last week, the Farmers Guardian quoted several Scottish farmers. Neil Drummond, stockman for Cloquhat Farm's Limousin herd at Blairgowrie, said: "The sooner we start vaccinating the better," adding that the risks of not vaccinating were 'just too great'. Kenneth Russell, a farmer who runs 70 Simmentals and 60 Charollais alongside 100 Blackface sheep and a flock of 320 pedigree crosses said compulsory vaccination was the best way forward. He described the voluntary vaccination programme in England as 'crazy'. "You've either got to vaccinate everything or not at all," he said.
David Craig, a Simmental breeder from Stewarton, Ayrshire, said
"It will be a bit of a hassle but having said that, if not doing it means taking the risk of losing a pedigree animal to the disease it's worth it."
Some farmers expressed concern that they had not been given enough information about the best time to vaccinate their pregnant stock. Charles McCombie, a Charollais and Aberdeen-Angus breeder from Huntly, Knock, said: "There is a bit of confusion over what we have to do. We need to know the optimum time to vaccinate pregnant ewes and cows, but vaccinating is a necessary evil."

November 2/3 2008 ~"Swiss virus is clearly a novel bluetongue virus (BTV), not a mutant/recombinant/reassortant of previously characterised viruses"

ProMed's quoting of the summary of Switzerland's Federal Veterinary Office (FVO) website's Q&A re the "new" strain makes it clear that "...BTV surveillance system in Switzerland is unique in Europe...explains why we are the only country in which this virus was been noticed. But it is likely that the virus is present elsewhere in Europe.
....The TOV (acronym for "Toggenburg Orbivirus"), has produced only mild disease in goats and virtually none in sheep. No diseases seen in experimentally infected goats. Its discovery has scientific significance but no impact upon agriculture..." Read in full

October 31 2008 ~ An extra 100 million euros on fighting bluetongue in 2009, on top of the 60 million euros already pledged

The European Commission yesterday proposed to spend an extra 100 million euros on fighting bluetongue in 2009, on top of the 60 million already pledged. The measure has yet to be approved by the European Parliament and the member states. (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

October 31 2008 ~ Netherlands BTv6 report : "The virology is excellent and the conclusions are carefully worded..." says ProMed

ProMed gives in full the report by Professor Peter Mertens and his colleagues at the IAH, Pirbright, at Lelystad (the Netherlands), and at Onderstepoort (South Africa) into the new Netherlands strain. Their remarks take into account suggestions that the outbreak was caused by unlicensed use of a live bluetongue vaccine produced by Onderstepoort Biological Products, a company in South Africa. However, says the report
"the absence of antibodies to multiple other serotypes in the antiserum from Heeten indicates that this animal at least had not received either of the multivalent vaccine preparations that are known to have been generated by OBP in South Africa. We are currently sequencing the entire genome of the new virus strain to see if it is completely similar to the live vaccine strain or if it is a reassortant containing genome segments from other strains. This might provide additional indications concerning its origins and movement.."Read in full
The Netherlands have now declared its entire territory a Restricted Zone (RZ) for BTV-6 and 8.

October 31 2008 ~ New strain of BTv in Switzerland, says Farmers Guardian

As Jack Davies wrote yesterday in the FG, the discovery of another strain of bluetongue new to Europe, this time in goats in Switzerland, means there are now four serotypes of the virus in Northern Europe - BTV1, 6, 8 and the new previously undiscovered serotype. "It is the first time scientists have discovered the latest strain - 'Toggenburg Orbivirus' (TOV)- which was discovered in two goat herds in Switzerland." The FG quotes Peter Mertens:
" This new BTV is so different from other ones that we cannot even guess where it came from. Although the virus did not cause overt disease in goats, if it started to spread and behave like other BTV strains, then it could become a more serious threat to ruminants, especially as there would be no vaccine against it."
Read FG article
sciencenow.sciencemag.org says that in order to prove that the "Toggenburg Orbivirus" actually is a novel bluetongue serotype
"... the team will have to verify that antibodies against the virus don't neutralize the 24 known serotypes and vice versa, Hofmann says; that has been impossible so far because the virus won't grow in cultured cells."
Read in full

October 24 2008 ~ BTV6 is the "new" strain found in Holland

It appears that the new type of bluetongue that was found in the Netherlands (see below and reported on October 18) turns out to be serotype 6. According to this report in Dutch,www.blikopnieuws.nl a 50 kilometre zone has been put around the affected farms in the East of the country and export is prohibited.
There is no BTV6 vaccine available in Europe. One can only hope that this strain can be confined in a very limited area.
Serotype 6 is found in Central America and Africa. The question - for the second time - is "How did a virus that has hitherto been seen only in Central America and Africa reach the Netherlands?"
DEFRA has told its stakeholders: "We are continuing to conduct post-import tests on all consignments of cattle and sheep from continental Europe, for all Bluetongue serotypes." However, Jane Kennedy's apparent lack of concern at the low take-up of BTV8 vaccine, and her statement that she has made
" no plans to reach specific levels of vaccination at specific times. Vaccination is the responsibility of the livestock industry"
is likely to be causing deep alarm at a time when food security is of such national importance.

October 24 2008 ~ "persistent rumours are gradually taking momentum away from the vaccination programme..."

Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian looks at the dire effect that anecdotal and unsubstantiated rumour-mongering is having on the UK vaccination campaign. As he says, the attitude to vaccination from farmers in Wales and the North of England is very different from that in last year's affected areas where uptake reached around 90 per cent.
" Scientists are adamant that the UK is still at risk - not only from continental disease but also the possibility of disease overwintering in wild or unvaccinated stock in the UK. Encouraging vaccination next year will be an uphill battle for the industry ..."
The FG article looks at - and debunks - the current myths about vaccine. Dr Ruth Watkins, the virologist and farmer, is sympathetic to those who have found the logistics of vaccination campaign, where the onus is on the farmer to bear the costs and manage the injections, very difficult - but she is under no illusions about the rumours. As she says below, they are tosh. "... the longer the farmer leaves before vaccination this autumn the less worthwhile it will become...in readiness for next summer when infection must be presumed to re-emerge from a much wider area throughout England and Wales than the SE of England." (see below)

October 23 2008 ~ New vaccine supplier on the block

We have received an email from SYVA laboratories. They developed the first Bluetongue serotype 4 vaccine for sheep approved by the Spanish Agency (SYVAZUL 4), that was used by the Ministry of Agriculture of Spain in the vaccination campaigns started in 2005. They are currently supplying the Spanish Ministry with its SYVAZUL 1 and are very soon to provide a vaccine against serotype 8, SYVAZUL 8 The email says " the company is driven to become a major player in the European Veterinary Immunologicals industry." (Read email)

October 22 2008 ~ Holland's supposed "ban on breeding" - (and the "new" strain seems to be limited to the three farms)

Ruud Peys, UK correspondent to the Agrarische Dagblad has very kindly sent this clarification : "The ban on breeding is, as far as I can see it, invented by Farmers Weekly, maybe because of a mistake in the translation. FWI uses as a source - boerderij.nl - but that magazine does not mention a breeding ban at all. Also, the Dutch VWA has just announced that the 'new type', if indeed it is such a thing, seems to be limited to the three farms around Deventer where it has been discovered before." (We hope for more information on the last part of that sentence, but assume it means the farms where it was discovered on 18th Oct)
UPDATE Ruud writes, "yes, the unknown variant is so far only found on the three farms the VWA has mentioned before and is, so far, not discovered on any other farm in Holland by VWA."

October 22 2008 ~ ProMed carries Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, press release

[in Dutch, but translated and edited by Moderator.AS See ProMed
Extract ".... an export ban on breeding and production animals susceptible to bluetongue.... The Central Veterinary Institute (CVI).... determined that it is not the serotype BTV-1, which is present in France.
Further investigations will be carried out in cooperation with the EU reference laboratory in the UK, to find if this is a variant of the BTV-8 or a new type of the bluetongue virus.
The ....VWA. is sampling all cattle on the premises for further investigations. .."
The moderator comments that "the Dutch precautionary measure -- banning exports of breeding and production ruminants until the completion of the strain's identification -- is commendable."

Oct 22 2008 ~ Can the Dutch have really banned animals from breeding during the ban?

The ProMed commentary continues:
".....The Farmers Weekly article (here) includes also information on Dutch producers "banned from breeding sheep, cattle, and goats." This is a rather exceptional measure, not mentioned in the official press release. Confirmation (with duration of applicability) or otherwise will be helpful. If confirmed, such step could be explained by the wish of the Dutch authorities to prevent later difficulties in the export of pregnant animals due to risk of fetal viraemia, in view of the cases of infected offspring born in importing countries (see ProMED-mail postings 20080306.0916, 20080308.0948, and 20080408.1294)...."
The moderator also mentions ProMed's gratitude to ".....Agrarisch Dagblad, a daily newspaper, which has been most helpful to ProMED-mail on several occasions" See ProMed

October 22 2008 ~ Wales: "I am sure that many if not most farmers will vaccinate in the Spring of 2009. Some locals have said as much to me."

The virologist and farmer, Dr Ruth Watkins, has sent us an email with her thoughts on the apparently new strain in Holland
".....The finding of a different virus to BTV8 and BTV1 in the Netherlands is very intriguing. It may be quite complex for them to sort out just what it is, they will have to sequence all the 10 genes I should think. This should not take very long..." (Read in full)
. - and also her take on the news reported in FWi yesterday that the Welsh Assembly Government has threatened to start selling off some of the 7.5m doses of unused bluetongue vaccine unless farmers start vaccinating their stock against the disease.
"....I hope there will be some vaccine in date in March April next year to purchase...."
Read Dr Watkins' email

Oct 22 2008 ~ Scotland: "This worrying development serves as a sharp reminder.."

NFU Scotland vice-president Nigel Miller is quoted in the Herald about the situation in the Netherlands, "...we count our blessings that we remain free of disease but we cannot let our guard down for a single moment. Scotland is a few weeks away from our own vaccination campaign and the winter when temperatures reduce the threat from the midges that transmit the disease. Given Europe's failure to control the disease, we urge producers not to throw away our advantage in disease control by recklessly importing stock from abroad."

October 21 2008 ~ If animals are tested negative with this ELISA it does not mean that they have not been vaccinated, says VLA

The VLA writes to tell us that they have been receiving quite a few submissions from clients who want to check the antibody levels of their animals post BTV 8 vaccination. The ELISA test which they perform is not 100% sensitive, they explain, and so some vaccinated animals are testing negative by the ELISA.
The following message is going onto the VLA website this week to help give clarification.
"There are no validated tests available at the present time that conclusively prove that animals have been successfully vaccinated with BTV-8 vaccine. The antibody ELISA used at VLA is extremely sensitive at detecting antibodies in BTV infected animals however it does not always detect antibodies in vaccinated animals. If animals are tested negative with this ELISA it does not mean that they have not been vaccinated. If animals test positive they are likely to have been vaccinated."
Warmwell is very grateful to the VLA for this clarification.

October 21 2008 ~ "sometimes there are larger interests at stake" - the story of the possible new strain in the Netherlands

Farmers Weekly says,"....Dutch scientists have begun investigations into whether the strain is a variant of BTV8, the strain being vaccinated against in the UK, or new type of the virus. ... The ministry said it would make a further decision over the ban once more was found out about the strain. Dutch farming organisation LTO told Farmers Weekly's sister paper Boerderij that it supported the export ban.
"Given the pressure from abroad and the worrying situation we are in because we don't know what is going on, this measure is appropriate," a spokesman said. "The measure will cause economic damage, but sometimes there are larger interests at stake."
Read FWi

October 21 2008 ~ Questions needing answers

The situation in Holland will remain unclear until more tests are complete. With viruses there is always some small measure of genetic shift to be expected. It seems that this "new" strain shows a greater change in nucleotides from the very slight differences previously seen in serotype 8. As the first Agrarische Dagblad report on Oct 18 explained, 250 nucleotides are normally tested by PCR
"Up until now, up to three differences only have been observed. This deviating virus has eleven differences..."
However, we understand that expert opinion considers that it is yet too early to say whether what is suspected in eastern Holland really is a new serotype. If it is, we are on dangerous and worrying new ground. As the ProMed commentator said (see below) "The possibility of the circulation of a new BTV strain in the Netherlands, in particular if the strain is suspected to be refractory to the BTV-8 vaccine, is of high epidemiological impact and deserves to be sorted out at the earliest..."

October 20 2008 ~ Dutch agriculture department has ordered a export ban for breeding cattle from 6.00 pm today

This is because of the so far unknown strain of Bluetongue being investigated in Holland. The article by Mariska Vermaas in the Agrarisch Dagblad today tells us that
"....The central veterinary institute (CVI) of the Wageningen UR has found bluetongue at three different holdings in the east that deviates more than is normal from the dominant serotype in the Netherlands. Animals which had been vaccinated nevertheless showed symptoms.... All ruminants on the affected farms have been examined. The ban a precautionary measure and only applies to sheep, ewes and cattle - and is a temporary ban lasting until the situation becomes clearer..."
Many thanks again to Ruud Peys, British correspondent for the Agrarisch Dagblad, for alerting warmwell to this development.

October 19 2008 ~ ProMed comment on the apparently new strain in Holland

ProMed gives an excellent translation of the Ag Dag report of friday. The moderator comment:
".... A firsthand, professional report will be welcomed.
The possibility of the circulation of a new BTV strain in the Netherlands, in particular if the strain is suspected to be refractory to the BTV-8 vaccine, is of high epidemiological impact and deserves to be sorted out at the earliest. CDI may consider involving OIE's BT reference laboratories in this important investigation. - Mod.AS"
Read in full
What is becoming more and more urgent, given the way bluetongue can ravage flocks and herds and its serious implications for animal welfare - is a properly coordinated EU policy instead of the present piecemeal approach. (See below)

October 18 2008 ~ New serotype discovered in Holland?

The Agrarische Dagblad reports that a possibly new type of bluetongue has been found "that clearly deviates from the bluetongue seen in the Netherlands since August 2006" says the article following the Dutch central veterinary institute (CVI) of Wageningen. The new type is different from serotype 8 and serotype 1 according to Piet van Rijn of the CVI. The article says,
"... The bluetongue virus has a genetic code of approximately 20,000 positions. A very small bit of approximately 250 positions is used in the PCR-test to show all types of bluetongue virus. Up until now, up to three differences only have been observed. This deviating virus has eleven differences..."
(Many thanks to Ruud Peys for the link.)

October 16 2008 ~ Switzerland - GIS and transmission models used to improve larger and more targeted surveillance

The ability to combine Geographical Information Systems (GIS), mathematical models and up to date epidemiological knowledge has led, in Switzerland, to an early warning system developed for detecting the incursion of bluetongue and to monitor the frequency of its vectors. Detail at 7thspace.com.
Switzerland declared the whole country as a restriction zone last October. Although no outbreak since last November seems to have been reported on the Wahid Interface, 23 outbreaks in 2008 - with the most recent being confirmed on 14th October are shown on the Swiss federal veterinary website www.bvet.admin.ch. (This paragraph has been slightly corrected since earlier today - with grateful thanks to Sabine Zentis.)

October 15 2008 ~ "Our fear is that without adequate funding we will not be able to maintain the high standards of livestock disease control and provide such vigorous enforcement."

Cuts in financial support from DEFRA look set to continue. Devon County Council's Leader, Councillor Brian Greenslade is quoted today on www.devon24.co.uk :
"The Government gave us the extra responsibilities, and then removed the necessary funding for it last year. It would be better if the Government recognised Devon's needs for prevention against diseases such as Foot and Mouth, Bluetongue and Bird Flu, and reflected it in its future funding."

October 13 2008 ~ Eradication cannot result from unco-ordinated piecemeal action in Europe

As in Financial crises, so in disease crisis. The great danger for European livestock farming seems to be a withholding of resources for research and possibly piecemeal action by Member States as a result of ignorance about the efficacy of properly organised and funded vaccination campaigns. "Bluetongue control strategy, including recourse to vaccine. A critical review" (pdf) is a presentation given by Vincenzo Caporale at the 23rd Conference OIE Regional Commission for Europe 16 -19 September in Vilnius.
The importance of an effective risk communication campaign directly involving farmers, other stakeholders and politicians is particularly stressed.
Since 1990 Vincenzo Caporale has been the Director of Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale" (IZSA&M) in Teramo, Italy.), a veterinary public health institute in Legnaro (PD) that conducts laboratory controls. The presentation is clear, colourful and very concise. Particularly appreciated is the Peanuts cartoon, illustrating the difficulty of learning the essential lessons from catastrophe. But the lessons of the past show that Bluetongue is a disease that could be eradicated in northern Europe if sufficient funds and cooperative action across the EU were forthcoming.
"Surveillance, preventive mass-vaccination and strict movement controls are the key points IF one wants to limit BTV spread."
And for the EU at present there does seem to be a great "IF". An important point made is that "Methods to define research priority in the EU in animal health should be fully reviewed." The problem with piecemeal action is that it would mean
• no eradication
• further virus spread - and
• livestock owners will be on their own in the end

October 13 ~ If the vaccination message has not got through, why hasn't it?

"The importance of an effective risk communication campaign directly involving farmers, other stakeholders and politicians" This is a key sentence from Dr Caporale's bluetongue presentation above - and the lack of such a campaign has been the problem - that there seems greater readiness to believe ignorant and inaccurate half truths than to embrace the enormous benefits of vaccination. Is this because the vaccination message has not got through? And if it has not, why hasn't it? Is the message unclear? Is it
• in the wrong media format?
• insufficiently promoted by Government?
• disregarded because it is a voluntary scheme?
• not perceived to be important as the worst effects of BT have not been seen?
• part of the economic crunch and regarded as too expensive?
Unfortunately, on top of this, is the way in which the vaccination was 'rolled out' in the UK. It does not seem to have taken into consideration key aspects of the livestock farming year - especially relevant for hill farmers because of the difficulty in gathering animals on the uplands.

October 12 2008 ~ "stop pushing the golden egg over the edge!"

says Jan Vaarten, Executive Director of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe a recent newsletter:
"...some people seem unable to stop behaving like little cuckoos when it comes to vaccination: they do not rest until they have pushed vaccination over the edge to a certain death. Recently, at a hearing organised by the European Parliament on the "EU Community Animal Health Strategy and Vaccination Technology", and after many presentations about the need for vaccines, the discussion was diverted, once again, to "what consumers might think of meat from vaccinated animals". Let's be clear: almost every food-producing animal kept in Europe today is vaccinated, and almost all meat imported from third countries is produced by vaccinated animals. ... Vaccination of animals is safe for consumers. ...In case of trade-related concerns regarding vaccination, it would seem more honest to step forward and put them on the table - rather than hide behind so-called "consumer interest". But whatever you do: stop pushing the golden egg over the edge!..."
Read in full

October 9 2008 ~Compulsory bluetongue vaccination in Scotland starts on November 3 for all cattle and sheep

See Reuters. "...The government is providing 2.6 million pounds to cover half the costs for the first year of vaccinations..... The statement strongly recommended that other domestic animals susceptible to the debilitating midge-borne disease should also be vaccinated for the Serotype 8 (BTV8) variety."

October 7 2008 ~ French cases of both serotypes continue to rise. BTv1 zone continue to extend northwards

According to the website gds18.org, new outbreaks of serotype 1 discovered in the departments of Charente and Dordogne means that there are now 2,750 cases BTV1 from virus circulating in 2008. In addition, BTV8 confirmed cases from virus circulating in 2008 now total 17,257.
Compare this with September 25.
The full sized map and full key for coloured areas can be seen here ( new window, slight delay) The green area shows the control zone for serotype 1 and 8. Yellow dots show holdings where both BTv1 and BTv8 cases are confirmed, while the yellow area shows the extension of the control zone for serotypes 1 and 8 - on the march northwards. Larger map

October 6 2008 ~ "We can definitely say that any rumours of health issues with the vaccine are just nonsense" Malcolm Corbett, North East livestock representative, NFU

Journal Live today also quotes Northumberland Animal Health Divisional Veterinary Manager Peter Gray:
"Take-up of the bluetongue vaccine in Northumberland has, so far, been depressingly low. One of the key reasons for the poor use of bluetongue vaccine appears to be ill-founded complacency about the high ongoing risk posed by the disease, made worse by unsubstantiated rumours about the safety of the vaccine.
The risk to farmers' livestock and livelihood from this disease far outweighs any perceived risk associated with vaccination. Vaccination is the only effective way to protect against bluetongue..."
Read in full

October 3 2008 ~ Veterinary expert, Dr Johannes Winkelmann, says peak periods for bluetongue infection are September, October and November.

He told the North Regional NSA meeting in Hexham on Tuesday (see below) that vaccination was the only effective way of controlling the spread of bluetongue. As a result of Dr Winkelmann's advice and work the BTV8 virus is now under control in Nordrhein-Westphalia (NRW) and our colleagues in Germany tell us that he is very highly regarded as an expert. The Farmers Guardian reports:
"..Dr Winkelmann said part of the NRW strategy was to identify and set up a network of sentinel farms where there was no existing resistance to bluetongue. Last year the first positive case was diagnosed in June and two months later this had risen to 2,000 animals. By October nearly 8,000 animals had been diagnosed, this topping 9,000 animals by the end of November 2007.
Initially veterinary surgeons had looked at dealing with the disease through factors such as controlling the midge vector, and dealing with the symptoms of the disease. It rapidly became clear the only practical way forward was through vaccination....
So far no side effects from bluetongue vaccination had been reported.."
A single midge bite can spread the disease, he said.

September 30 2008 ~ Welsh Liberal Democrat, Kirsty Williams, urges farmers not to import - and to vaccinate.

Kirsty Williams, AM for Brecon & Radnorshire, has been urging farmers to vaccinate. See Wales Online "I absolutely fail to understand why farmers are bringing livestock into the UK at a time when bluetongue is circulating viciously on mainland Europe. Not only are farmers putting their own stock at risk but their neighbours also ...I see no other way for farmers to protect their stock - other than to vaccinate."

September 29 2008 ~ "peanuts compared with the cost of treating even a couple of sheep which get the disease "

See Mark Holdstock's blog "....The vets ... told me that a 'Indian Summer' could carry quite a risk of the disease re-emerging. There's also a rumour circulating amongst the farmers that the vaccine can cause fertility problems amongst the ewes. Vets dismiss this saying the vaccine's dead not live so there shouldn't be any issues with it. Also there's the cost. At fifty pence a dose, that can add up to more than a hundred pounds for even a small upland farm. But as one of the local vets told me that's peanuts compared with the cost of treating even a couple of sheep which get the disease."

September 28/29 2008 ~ "All the rumours re the vaccine causing infertility and abortion are tosh- the real and actual risk is the infection with the BTV8 virus...."

Ruth Watkins, doctor, expert virologist and farmer, writes, "When people do things voluntarily that they must pay for - they are entitled to as much information as they can absorb and to reason out their own response.....There is such a financial crunch on farmers this year I cannot see myself why, in Wales and the North of England where there is no BTV8 circulation, it should not be acceptable to vaccinate in winter/spring when it is most convenient and prior to birth. The lambs, kids and calves can then imbibe passive antibody to BTV8 in the colostrum. Yet no one will talk about this publicly..."
She refers to a letter to a farmer friend in which she sets out her thoughts about the timing of vaccination.
"... Clearly it is essential that all farmers vaccinate all their ruminant stock during the winter and early next Spring. Clearly also, it is ideal if there is money enough and the will and time to vaccinate all one's ruminants now as I have done (having written a vaccination policy I could hardly do otherwise).
However, the voluntary vaccination policy is less than perfect - and expensive for the farmer, and the longer the farmer leaves before vaccination this autumn the less worthwhile it will become, especially in view of the BTV8 vaccination that will be required over winter and early spring of 2009 in readiness for next summer when infection must be presumed to re-emerge from a much wider area throughout England and Wales than the SE of England."
It is important to read the letter in full

September 26/27 2008 ~ "DEFRA has given farmers a chance to show that we can act collectively and responsibly"

to prevent Bluetongue from gaining hold, and farmers have blown it, thereby giving ministers and mandarins the perfect excuse for imposing further red tape, regulations and costs at will. ...."
A heartfelt letter from Chester farmer, Huw Rowlands, sums up the frustration many farmers are feeling.
".... The refuseniks are risking everything, and using scaremongering pseudo-scientific claims to justify their inactivity. Having vaccinated all my cattle at the earliest opportunity in September, I am happy to report no side-effects...."
Read in full

Sept 25 2008 ~ Ruthin: the risk of transmission is "negligible"

The three bulls in Denbighshire who returned "positive" results for bluetongue are now said by the Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones, to be at the last phase of infection, which means that it is very unlikely indeed that bluetongue could be spread by their presence in Wales. (See further comment on testing and viraemia.)
All the same, it appears that the scare has at least caused what the Denbighshire Free Press calls a "surge" for vaccinations and the NFU in Wales has again urged that farmers cannot afford to be complacent or apathetic about vaccinating animals "...it is the only way we can safeguard our stock and protect ourselves from the devastating economic consequences of this disease once it strikes. There is no Government compensation for any losses sustained due to Bluetongue and I remain firmly of the view that we cannot afford not to vaccinate."
UPDATE Wales Daily Post tells us that Meirionnydd FUW has arranged an open meeting at Neuadd y Cyfnod Y Bala, tomorrow (Friday, September 26) at 7.30pm to give more details on bluetongue. More details are available from area officer Dei Charles or the FUW office at Dolgellau, 01341 422298.

Sept 25 2008 ~ The march of BTv1 in France

New cases of the BTv1 strain of Bluetongue have been confirmed in the Herault and Tarn-et-Garonne regions of France. The map shows in green where serotype 8 and 1 now exist together. (Since this area includes my own land I am very grateful to have completed in my own sheep the two vaccinations for both strains - but my own vet is not optimistic that enough booster vaccine can be obtained nor that there are enough vets to cover the number of farms at risk.)
Recommended for French speakers is the website gds18.org In France, the latest figures for virus circulating this year is now an astonishing 16103 cases of serotype 8 and 1 494 cases of serotype 1.
More - in french - on the current situation www.actualites-news-environnement.com

Sept 23 2008 ~ "mine were the only vaccinated female sheep offered for sale out of over four thousand auctioned in Llandovery mart...."

Dr Ruth Watkins expresses worry that ".... in the climate of rumour and partial information around BTV8 the dangerous practice of not using the the vaccine because of misinformation is gaining ground and going to be difficult to shift." She sends warmwell copies of her latest thoughts about bluetongue and available tests as diagnostic virologist, clinician and farmer. Extract
"....It is difficult to make in house tests as quality control is a very important issue and difficult to maintain to an evenly high standard for many reasons. .. we will have to live with the limitations of what is provided. I am confident that Pirbright's standard of testing is second to none in the veterinary world.
.... I think the problem lies with the antibody testing used. I think this is confusing for farmers who are paying for testing or reading about testing. They are subject to untrue rumours about the side effects of vaccination, the test results are not clearly set out and no clinical group answers their questions thoroughly and honestly. The vaccine manufacturers must protect themselves against being sued...."
Read in full (Some technical language may be challenging to the layman)

Sept 22 2008 ~ First batches of Fort Dodge cattle vaccine, Zulvac, in the UK today

Fort Dodge has now obtained VMD approval for its vaccine and has sent this press release to warmwell.com. Extract:
".......Zulvac 8 is available in 50 dose and 10 dose packs. The key claims are active immunisation against Bluetongue serotype 8 of cattle from 2.5 months old and a significant reduction of viraemia.
The vaccine is administered in 2 x 2 ml doses at three week intervals given by intra muscular injection and the product is supported by a fixed 2ml multidose applicator with Sterimatic needle protector and cleaning system to ensure accurate dosing and hygienic conditions..."
Read in full. The vaccine can be prescribed by vets to cattle farmers inside the PZ. Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian comments, "The move towards an open market will come as a good sign for next year's vaccination campaign, which could see enough vaccine available earlier in the year to allow vaccination to start before the summer risk period."

Sept 22 2008 ~ "low levels of seroconversion post-vaccination should not put people off vaccinating their stock..."

Dr Chris Oura has sent a clarification of these issues to ProMed.
Extract: "...... It seems clear that, for animals vaccinated with inactivated BTV-8 vaccines on a single occasion, the absence of antibodies detected by the cELISA tests does not correlate with a lack of protection. In other words seronegative vaccinated animals are still likely to be protected from BTV-8. Therefore reports of low levels of seroconversion post-vaccination should not put people off vaccinating their stock. However this does cause a problem in that, at the present time, we are unable to reliably confirm by testing that animals have been successfully vaccinated..
... it is important to be cautious about interpreting PCR results, as animals will, in some cases, be PCR-positive; however, they may not be at risk to the local midge population. Laboratories however are able to go some way to interpret the PCR results and, depending on the CT levels*, can predict if the animals are likely to be in the early (viraemic) or late (non-viraemic) stages of infection. The only test available to confirm that the animal is viraemic is virus isolation, and the drawback of this is it takes at least a week to perform. ."
Read in full.

September 22 2008 ~ "this detailed, pacifying information will encourage animal breeders... to complete the timely vaccination.."

The ProMed moderator AS, comments,
"....Hopefully, this detailed, pacifying information will encourage animal breeders in regions at risk, both in the UK as well as in continental Europe, to complete the timely vaccination of their susceptible animals against BTV-8. The peak disease season may continue until the end of October 2008, trailing beyond.
Regarding the vaccine safety issue raised in item [1] (i.e. the FW article), according to the (45-year-long) experience of this moderator, all animal mass vaccination campaigns against any disease in any species in industrialized as well as in developing countries are accompanied by owners' complaints. Most of such complaints reflect honest but subjective observations of concerned individuals, in the majority of cases eventually found to be groundless, provided the vaccines in question are properly certified, and in particular when they are inactivated ones. This does not mean that accidents never happen on the manufacturing level but, mainly, during application; complaints should always be thoroughly investigated and their results published."
Read ProMed posting in full.
See also, a commentary (in blue) to questions warmwell had put, very kindly sent to us yesterday by Dr Oura.

Sept 20 2008 ~ Third Denbighshire bull confirmed after further tests.

See BBC. However, it is interesting that Wales' Chief Vet Dr Christianne Glossop, has said the risk of transmission is negligible. The animals had all been vaccinated before they were imported. She is quoted:
" .. Veterinary advice is that as the risk of transmission from these animals is now negligible, they do not need to be slaughtered."
Once again, we would urge readers to notice the words of the ProMed moderator on the subject of what post import tests may actually be revealing when they come back "positive" He said:
" .... ....As opposed to the detection of "bluetongue virus," the "detection of bluetongue" may mean that antibodies or non-viable virus components have been detected by the post-import testing procedures applied. If active BTV is not present, there is no actual risk of further infection or spread of the disease on the importing farm or of its introduction into the circulation cycle (vectors)......no renewed activity of BTV-8 has been detected, so far, on British soil..." See ProMed
(One does get rather tired of the ignorance displayed by headlines such as, "Bluetongue Epidemic hits North Wales" when there is, as far as anyone knows, no active virus in Wales and no epidemic. Farmers must understand the importance of vaccinating their animals as quickly as possible, but they should also, surely, be given clear and unambiguous information about what the tests given to all imported BTv vaccinated animals does and does not reveal.)

September 19 2008 ~ Fears that vaccine may affect breeding has led many to leave vaccine in the fridge. "Bloody idiots," says Alun Edwards of the FUW

Disquieting news from the Farmers Weekly. It seems that many farmers are worried that animals are already stressed by the dire weather and believe rumours that the animals might, if they are vaccinated, react badly just at the time they should be breeding. FWi reports that
"The doubts over vaccinating were reflected at Penrith livestock market which reported that, of 6000 mules through, only two batches of ewes were vaccinated. "
We read that uptake of the vaccine has been so low in the North of England that only one in five livestock farms is protected. FWi quotes Alun Edwards of the FUW, who called producers who resisted vaccination "bloody idiots".

September 19 2008 ~ Vilnius Conference press release "permanent surveillance and vaccination: best tools for containing bluetongue"

"Vilnius, 19 September 2008 - The 23rd Conference of the Regional Commission for Europe of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 15 to 19 September 2008 , concluded with a strong commitment to move forward with the implementation of extensive vaccination against bluetongue in infected and at-risk countries, using vaccines complying with OIE standards. .... Experience gained from controlling the disease has shown that strict movement restrictions and vaccination are the most effective prevention and control tools, as is also the case for other animal diseases.
The Conference recommended that Member Countries develop and establish regional surveillance networks for early detection and rapid response mechanisms under the strict supervision of the public and private sector veterinarians working in conjunction with the Veterinary Services...." More

September 18 2008 ~ Wales - 7 cattle are being re-tested to discover the "extent" of the infection

Following the news late on Monday that bluetongue had been detected in imported cattle from the Limoges area of France (see below) in post import checks, the Daily Post now reports
"....Tests on a third animal proved "inconclusive", and four more in the batch of seven imported from the Limoges area of France tested negative. Last night the Welsh Assembly said all seven cattle would be re-tested to confirm the extent of the infection. Now an urgent call is being issued to sheep and cattle farmers to vaccinate their animals to help prevent a widespread outbreak in North Wales, which could kill thousands of animals...."
Despite repeated warnings, few farmers in the region are so far believed to have taken up the bluetongue vaccine.

September 18 2008 ~ The Netherlands considers buying BTv1 vaccine

Yesterday's Agrarisch Dagblad reported that the Dutch Ministry is considering buying supplies of the serotype 1 vaccine. The advance northwards from Spain and Southern France of this strain, BTv1, seems to be taking place at a rate of about 50 kilometres a week (see below). As we have said below, there are now areas of France where the two strains of BTv8 and BTv1 exist side by side. The Dutch Ministry's concerns will surely challenge the highly questionable EU rule that forbids vaccination as a preventative measure except where there has already been a confirmed case of the strain of virus.
In Britain too, the risk of BTv1 is certainly being considered. In Scotland for example, Charles Milne, chief veterinary officer, quoted in the Scotsman said, "...vaccination against BTV8 only provides immunity for the most prevalent form of the virus currently in the UK....." - and although many are far from sure that there is "currently" any form of active virus in the UK at all, the rapid spread of strain 1 northwards through France can hardly be ignored as a danger.

September 18 2008 ~ "cynical" Scottish farmers reminded of the midge's ability to live in cold climate

In reporting the Scottish plan for compulsory vaccination (see also below), starting probably in November, Dan Buglass in the Scotsman writes, "...They might do well to consider the fact that bluetongue, previously only found in southern Europe - principally in Greece and Italy - made the sudden leap to the Netherlands in the autumn of 2006 before arriving in England last September. The death rate in sheep can be as high as 30 per cent, and there is no compensation." The article makes it clear that Nigel Miller, vice-president of NFU Scotland and Brian Simpson, of the Scottish Beef Cattle Association are now urging farmers to get behind the compulsory vaccination programme. Nigel Miller commented, "... The voluntary uptake of the vaccine in England, as revealed recently, has been disappointing."

September 17 2008 ~ Romania reports bluetongue test results from animals imported from the UK

In a Brussels presentation from Romania(pdf) we read,
"On the 10th of September, one consignment of 49 sheep was transported from a restricted area in UK to a holding in district Bihor, Romania. All animals were certified as being vaccinated against bluetongue less than 60 days before dispatch. Therefore the sheep were also tested by PCR and certified as negative for bluetongue viral antigen. Within the laboratory checking at destination, among other tests, the serum samples taken from 28 animals were assessed by ELISA for bluetongue antibodies too. 18(~ 70%) of samples reacted positive...."
Our understanding is that positive lab ELISA tests show that the tested animals have built up immunity after vaccination, are protected and are not going to be able to spread disease via midges. Expert comment would be very gratefully received.
UPDATE In response, Sabine Zentis writes,
" I see the big problem in the negative animals : this presentation states that only 70% of vaccinated sheep show antibodies and yet all had been vaccinated.
Is is poor performance of the vaccine or some sort of "problem" with the certification? If it was all done by the book and the animals have been vaccinated properly... one would expect 100% antibody positives...."
It does seem to us that clarification about what tests actually mean is essential if farmers, vets and stakeholders are to understand what does and does not constitute a real risk.
(The most recent presentations from other EU countries can be accessed from ec.europa.eu...animal_health/presentations)

September 16/17 2008 ~Scotland: "Around seven million farm animals will be vaccinated to stop the "clear and present threat" of the bluetongue virus"

The Press Association says that the Scottish Government has announced that the programme "will cover all cattle and sheep and a voluntary option will be aimed at species such as goats, deer and zoo animals. The government will pay for half the £5 million manufacturing costs while the industry picks up the rest of the bill."
www.scotland.gov.uk says,
"A compulsory vaccination programme....will not begin before the start of November and will depend on the prevalence of midges which spread the disease among animals. Speaking after a meeting with the industry where stakeholders agreed to the compulsory winter vaccination programme, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said the need to vaccinate this year had been reinforced by the increased risk to Scotland from recent incidences of bluetongue in England."
Charles Milne, Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland is quoted: "Vaccinating in the winter months when the lack of midges dramatically reduces the risk of disease circulation allows animals to develop immunity without exposure to significant risk. ....It will take several weeks for every animal in Scotland to be vaccinated against this virus. Additionally, vaccination against bluetongue virus 8 (see notes) only provides immunity for the most prevalent form bluetongue virus currently within the UK. Livestock keepers therefore cannot afford to become complacent and risk importing further serotypes of this disease."

September 16/17 2008 ~ Bluetongue tests positive in Denbighshire (Wales)

WalesOnline "Two imported cattle have tested positive for Bluetongue type 8 and a further is under investigation at a premises near Rhuthin, Denbighshire..."

September 16/17 2008 ~ "the maximal period when ruminants are thought to be infectious to competent insect vectors..."

The Shropshire Star quotes Gareth Vaughan, president of the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) who rightly warns against "the dangers of listening to gossip and rumours about the vaccine" and urges farmers in Wales to vaccinate as soon as they can. But commenting on the recent imports found to have traces of bluetongue following post import tests, he referred to animals that "had tested positive for bluetongue". This is surely misleading. The recent ProMed commentary to which we referred below (September 11) seems sure that
"no renewed activity of BTV-8 has been detected, so far, on British soil..."
The moderator makes an important distinction between "positive for active bluetongue virus" and "detection of bluetongue" in otherwise healthy imports. The detection of antibodies or "non-viable virus components" by post-import testing procedures by DEFRA is not the same thing as finding active virus that could be spread if Culicoides midges were to bite an infected animal, get infected with the virus, and then go on to bite other ruminants. Midges that are not themselves infected can spread the disease only if they ingest blood from animals who have been in contact with Bluetongue and have active, infective virus in their blood.
According to the April 2007 EFSA report (pdf) on Bluetongue,
"....the PCR assay is perhaps overly sensitive in identifying BTV virus-positive animals, A 60 day infective period is more reflective of the maximal period when ruminants are thought to be infectious to competent insect vectors, and in reality the duration of this infectivity is markedly shorter than 60 days in the vast majority of infected ruminants...."
As the ProMed moderator commented, "...If active BTV is not present, there is no actual risk of further infection or spread of the disease on the importing farm or of its introduction into the circulation cycle (vectors)..."

September 15 2008 ~ German Bluetongue Expert coming to Hexham Northumberland

The Northern region of the National Sheep Association (NSA) are to hold an open meeting for members and friends within the Function Room at Hexham Auction Mart on Tuesday 30th September at 7.00pm.
"All farmers with stock susceptible to BTV8 are welcome to attend this important meeting. Dr Johannes Winkelmann, who was Head of the Animal Health Service for the Chamber of Agriculture in the German State of North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) when BTV8 affected cattle and sheep for the first time in August of 2006 has been invited by the NSA to speak about his experience with the Bluetongue virus.
As a result of Dr Winkelmann's advice and work the BTV8 virus is now under control in NRW. In July and August of this year, only 3 cases of BTV8 have been confirmed in NRW, compared to 1537 cases in the same months last year. Dr Winkelmann will inform the meeting of how BTV8 spread, its effect on the cattle and sheep, the monetary loss experienced by the various types of infected stock and practical advice on how to prevent the disease from becoming as prevalent as it did in NRW."

September 15 2008 ~ "So many rumours are circulating regarding this problem, many of which are totally untrue"

Hans Pörksen, Northern Region Chairman of NSA said: " We are very fortunate to get a Veterinary Surgeon of his practical experience of Bluetongue to come and tell us what we as farmers should do this autumn and in future years to prevent this disease. So many rumours are circulating regarding this problem, many of which are totally untrue." Further information about the open meeting from Regional Organiser - Julie Sedgewick Tel 01388 664496 Email: jas@nationalsheep.org.uk

September 15 2008 ~ "narrowing down the list of suspects"

A useful (non-pdf) link, complete with graphics, to Where Does Bluetongue Virus Sleep in the Winter? by Anthony Wilson, Karin Darpel, Philip Scott Mellor, (see posting for Sept 6) can be found on the internet. Extract:
"...Rather than a single "missing link" enabling the virus to persist during the winter period, experiments have revealed a toolbox of possible mechanisms, with the potential to interact with and complement one another. For example, chronic infection of the uterus could increase the likelihood of transplacental transmission, which in turn may create chronically or latently infected calves. Examples of BTV overwintering in the literature can be found ranging from as little as three months to eight or nine. The shortest of these periods could be bridged by any of several candidate mechanisms, and the principal difficulty faced by the epidemiologist is narrowing down the list of suspects...."
Read in full

September 13 2008 ~ Hungary has its 1st case of bluetongue

It is a farm in Forraytanya, near the village Gelej, in the northeast of Hungary. The moderator at ProMed comments
"A confirmation or otherwise of the suspicion stated above, and -- in case affirmed -- additional information, in particular concerning the BTV serotype involved, are requested. If it is BTV-8, this will mean a concerning but not surprising eastward spread of the virus. Identification of a different BTV serotype in Hungary is less likely in the absence of reports on recent cases in southeastern Europe."

September 13 2008 ~ Switzerland: "Unvaccinated cows, sheep, and goats currently returning from summer pastures, should be vaccinated immediately".

Today's ProMed also carries a link to the Swiss website www.news.admin.ch which reports "Three sheep have been found infected by bluetongue [virus] in Switzerland, one case in each of the cantons of Freiburg, Basel-Land, and Aargau. The new cases indicate that additional outbreaks may be expected throughout Switzerland during the coming weeks. Unvaccinated cows, sheep, and goats currently returning from summer pastures, should be vaccinated immediately."

September 12 2008 ~ More post import tests show traces of Bluetongue

DEFRA is careful not to imply active virus (see below) but using instead the phrase, "premises affected by Bluetongue", reports, "Six imported cattle on a premises near Worcester, these animals originated from Germany. One further cow on a premises near Dorchester, Dorset, this animal originated from France "

September 11 2008 ~ Cattle in Somerset have "tested positive"

However, it is to be hoped that those writing for the agricultural press will make the distinction (as ProMed does below) between "positive for active bluetongue virus" and the present "detection of bluetongue" in healthy imports - which may mean that antibodies or non-viable virus components have been detected by the post-import testing procedures applied. If we understand this correctly, such non active components are not dangerous to the UK and it seems important that yesterday's ProMed commentary should be read. Jonathan Riley, in Farmers Weekly interactive, says that there are "four to five further premises under investigation in areas as diverse as Somerset, Worcestershire and Cumbria." FWi's source added that there was also "a brewing controversy over a further batch of cattle en route from France to farms in Scotland. The cattle have been turned away by the Scottish authorities and are now being held on the English side of the border" FWi adds "While there is no reason to presume that the animals are infected with bluetongue, of great concern is that the cattle have been imported from an area in the south west of France which is under surveillance for the BTV1 strain of the bluetongue virus. .."

September 11 2008 ~ If active BTV is not present, there is no actual risk of further infection or spread..."

The ProMed posting about the detection of BTv in County Durham should be read in full, but particularly of interest is the expert commentary by moderator AS. Extracts:
"...there is no suggestion that this import was illegal. As the move is within a PZ, no pre-movement testing is required. .... bluetongue infection does not always express clinical signs in infected animals, it is, therefore, not unexpected to see BT-positive animals moving between Member States. Several such cases have been reported in previous postings.
....As opposed to the detection of "bluetongue virus," the "detection of bluetongue" may mean that antibodies or non-viable virus components have been detected by the post-import testing procedures applied. If active BTV is not present, there is no actual risk of further infection or spread of the disease on the importing farm or of its introduction into the circulation cycle (vectors)......no renewed activity of BTV-8 has been detected, so far, on British soil..."
Read in full

September 11 2008 ~ Recent evidence indicates a drop or delay in take-up of vaccine in counties recently brought into the PZ.

The moderator comment above continues:
"Sales data for some of those counties suggest that the number of animals vaccinated in these areas could be as low as one in 3, and in Northumberland and Cumbria, the most recent counties brought into the Protection Zone, as low as one in 5. On top of that, it will take 6-8 weeks from now for livestock keepers in the north of England and Wales to have had sufficient opportunity to vaccinate their livestock and to gain immunity (at least 3 weeks in sheep and 6 weeks in cattle). ... It remains to be seen whether Scotland decides to declare an official bluetongue protection zone and vaccinate as well. The Scottish government has BTV-8 vaccine in stock. It is not an easy decision: if declared, all live exports of cattle, sheep and goats to countries that are disease free (such as Ireland) would stop, with serious economic implications."
Read posting in full

September 10 2008 ~ Bluetongue in 18 imported cattle in County Durham

DEFRA says, "We have announced the detection of Bluetongue in 18 imported cattle on a premises near Bishop Auckland, County Durham. The animals originated from within the BTV8 Restricted Zone in Germany and were detected as a result of post-import testing carried out by Defra on all Bluetongue susceptible animals arriving from Continental Europe."
Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian, quotes Deputy chief veterinary officer, Alick Simmons: "Recent evidence indicates a drop or delay in vaccine take-up in counties recently brought into the Protection Zone. Sales data for some of those counties suggest that the number of animals vaccinated in these areas could be as low as one in three, and in Northumberland and Cumbria, the most recent counties brought into the Protection Zone, as low as one in five. The threat from bluetongue is present and real, as shown by the most recent import cases. Vaccination as a preventive measure is therefore more important than ever, so the message to the industry remains clear: don't hesitate, vaccinate."

September 10 2008 ~ Fears of importing serotype 1 from France

As we show below, the spread of serotype 1 up into South West France from Spain would appear to be moving at a rate of a rate of 50 kilometres a week. Although vaccination against strain 1 is now happening in the new areas of risk (my own sheep in SW France are due for their 2nd vaccination against both strains) there has been a shortfall of the vaccine in parts of France. While animals can be imported into the British Isles from France it is not fanciful to fear that animals from parts of South West France whose vaccination certificates are in order for BTv8 may nevertheless - as the Scots here are evidently fearing - be subject to the threat of BTv1 and may not yet be immunised against it. Testing imports for Btv1 is certainly important. NFU Scotland and the writer of this article in the Courier are expressing concern following the news that
"a pedigree bull is en-route from one of the disease hotspots in France to a farm in Aberdeenshire "
Their evident thought is that "Chief vet Professor Charles Milne might have no option but to declare Scotland an official bluetongue protection zone (PZ), a status already accorded to the whole of England." (Read article)

September 8 ~ Bluetongue in Sweden

The first two cases of bluetongue have been discovered in western Sweden on Saturday in a livestock herd about 10 kilometres east of Halmstad. The two animals have been destroyed.
www.thelocal.se "The farm has around 300 animals and results from tests performed on the rest of the herd on Sunday are expected on Tuesday. .... More veterinarians will travel to the region on Monday to perform tests on other farms in the immediate vicinity of the farm with confirmed cases of the disease. "In addition we'll start vaccinating, which will occur at the same time," ..... a 20-kilometre radius restrictive area has been set up around the affected farm... In addition, a 150-kilometre radius protective area has also created within which existing animals are free to move, but beyond which they cannot be taken."
Radio Sweden adds, " A huge vaccination campaign to protect animals in Sweden against the blue tongue virus has been announced by the Swedish Board of Agriculture after an outbreak of the disease in the south of the country. Two cases of the viral disease that effects ruminants were discovered on a farm in Halland, southern Sweden..... Around 20,000 sheep and cattle are to be involved in the first stage of vaccinations. The aim is then to extend the process in an 80 kilometre radius around the outbreak point."
UPDATE Sweden's official notification on the outbreak to the OIE confirming its diagnosis as BTV-8 including a map, can be seen on the OIE website

Sept 6/7 2008 ~ Vaccination guidelines, UK

ProMed has abridged and edited the main vaccination guidelines from DEFRA's website.
The abridged and edited guidelines can be seen here.

September 6 2008 ~ ProMed posting on situation in Germany and France

The posting can be found here. It includes information that in Germany, from 01 Jul to 01 Sep 2008, BTV 8 has been confirmed in 522 ruminants - with the majority of cases confirmed in Northern and Southern Germany in regions that experienced only low level of virus circulation during 2007. The Ministry says that, within 3 months, approximately 70 percent of the cattle and 90 percent of the sheep and goats have been vaccinated. A vaccination field trial, supervised by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, has shown very high levels of immunity after vaccination in cattle and sheep.
As for France (see below) the moderator comments that although the French figures are somewhat complex, "clearly France is witnessing a renewed circulation of the virus which is more intensive than the one recorded in the other European countries" BTV-1, as we show below, is spreading up from the South West

September 6 2008 ~ The question of how bluetongue virus survives through the winter

has been discussed by Drs. Anthony Wilson, Karin Darpel and Philip Mellor of the Institute for Animal Health Dr. Mellor is quoted on the same ProMed posting:
"Although the major mechanism of bluetongue virus spread is undoubtedly that of Culicoides midges feeding on infected ruminants, growing the virus and then transmitting it to further susceptible animals, other mechanisms may also be at work. These may assume greater importance during the midge-free season (winter), such as we in northern latitudes experience. . ..Experiments have revealed a toolbox of possible mechanisms, with the potential to interact with and complement one another.""
ProMed links to the original 4-page paper, Wilson A, Darpel K, Mellor PS (2008), Where does bluetongue virus sleep in the winter? PLoS Biol 6(8): e210. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060210,

Sept 4 2008 ~ New cases of BTV1 in South West France

(For detail and zone map for France see www.gds18.org )
Cases in France now stand at 10,400 of BTV8 (virus circulating this year, 2008) and 251 new cases of BTV1 (virus circulating this year, 2008)
Last year there were in France 15 569 cases of Bluetongue of which 3 cases only were of serotype 1. In the first six months of 2008 there were 6,020 cases of which 6 were of serotype 1 associated with virus circulating in 2007. According to the French website (late August) "At the present time, the BTV1 strain is progressing at a rate of 50 kilometers a week."

Sept 4 2008 ~ Devon MP Richard Younger-Ross questions why imported cattle are tested on arrival rather than before export.

South Devon's Herald Express quotes Mr Younger-Ross, who has written to Hilary Benn: "It is also unclear whether farmers who have imported Bluetongue cattle will be compensated considering their animals were imported in good faith with reasonable checks made. With the difficulty of maintaining herd levels because of the TB culls, together with the high cost of feed, it is not unreasonable for farmers to receive compensation in these cases."
At present, though, the question remains whether culling should take place when imported animals test positive. The eminent vet, Paul Roger, told Farmers Weekly last week, "It is highly likely that due to the massive uptake of vaccination in the south east the local midge population is naïve to the virus. These animals pose a huge risk of infection and as such should be euthanised as soon as possible." .( Could he have been misquoted?)
DEFRA considers slaughter unnecessary because " there is no evidence to suggest that virus is circulating between local midge and animal populations in the local areas.." adding, "Full epidemiological investigations are underway." See also, below, Nigel Gibbens' defence of the decision not to slaughter the animals at Tiverton

Sept 4 2008 ~ Tiverton BTV positive heifers showing no visible signs of bluetongue

The Tiverton farmer concerned, Mark Davis, told the Exeter Express and Echo yesterday that the affected heifers were showing no sign of the disease. He said:
"The heifers have been here for two and a half weeks. If they were going to be sick they would be by now, but they are still all healthy."
Expert comment would be much appreciated, but might this not suggest that the heifers had been infected just before vaccination but that vaccination itself had kept the effect of the disease at a very low level? Further independent tests are being carried out at the farm, with results expected early next week.

Sept 4 2008 ~ A new technique for genetically "bar-coding" biting midges

Science Daily reports that a new technique developed by Jane DeGabriel of the University of Aberdeen will be preasented today to the British Ecological Society's Annual Meeting at Imperial College. Her research is being carried out under a Scottish Government grant to the University of Aberdeen, Advanced Pest Solutions Ltd and the Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright.
"The four species within the group Culicoides obsoletus that we are interested in cannot be distinguished visually. So we are using a genetic bar-coding approach to identify the midges to species level using molecular methods. We have developed a high-throughput genetic screening method to identify large sample sizes of midges to species level, both efficiently and cost-effectively."
Having collected a million midges from light traps set up on 37 farms throughout Scotland, from the English border in the south to as far north as Thurso, her team were then able to produce a detailed map of Scotland showing that all four species of midges are present in all areas of Scotland. Midge numbers and species "varied both geographically and seasonally, reflecting differences in climate and habitat."

Sept 3 2008 ~ Worrying new cases in South West France

Yesterday evening there were 382 suspected cases recorded by the veterinary services in and around Ariege and 213 holdings have already been confirmed as positive. (135 relate to sheep, 7 to goats, 243 cattle.) The only immediate protection measure is the use of insecticide - compulsory throughout Ariege since August 22, 2008. Stockbreeders have been told to contact their vets to plan for vaccination which should take place throughout September. More (in french) on www.ariegenews.com

September 3 2008 ~Bluetongue: SCFCAH agenda

The Agenda for the EU's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday includes a 2nd Addendum (4D):
"Exchange of views on the implementation of Regulation 1266/2007 on bluetongue"
The Regulation 1266/2007 implements rules for Council Directive 2007/75/EC on the "control, monitoring, surveillance and restriction on movements of certain animals of susceptible species in relation to bluetongue" and it is possible that changes may be suggested.
Information from EU Member States on the epidemiological situation and on vaccination was Item 2. Item 6 : "Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a Draft Commission Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007 as regards the minimum requirements for bluetongue monitoring and surveillance programmes. (Doc. SANCO/2157/2008 - Rev.1) Item 7: "Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a Draft Commission Decision amending Decision 2008/XXXX/EC approving the emergency vaccination plans against bluetongue of certain Member States and fixing the level of the Community's financial contribution for 2007 and 2008. (Doc. SANCO/2253/2008) (See full agenda etc at http://ec.europa.eu/food/committees/regulatory/scfcah/animal_health/ag_23092008_en.pdf)

September 2 2008 ~ Clarification - Vaccine (vaccine uses killed virus) itself cannot, of course, produce viraemia.

There is no question at all that vaccination can lead to disease and we are extremely concerned to have caused any confusion. Intervet had reported that
"Some vaccinated animals showed no viraemia, the others showed only low level viraemia with a very short duration after vaccination."
Cattle that show viraemia must have been exposed to the virus in order for tests to return positive results. It is uncertain which vaccine the cattle at Tiverton below had been vaccinated with. Our apologies if the paragraph below seems to suggest that Intervet vaccine - or any vaccine at all - induces viraemia. What is true is that when vaccinating in a country where BT is circulating you can never rule out that an animal will become infected before protective immunity has built up. Germany has not used any Intervet vaccine.

September 1 2008 ~ Intervet has found low level viraemia in vaccinated animals after vaccination. (Please see clarification above)

Although DEFRA denies that the Devon cattle results were false positives (See Jack Davies' article today in the Farmers Guardian) we hear that it has been stated by the vaccine manufacturers (Intervet) that they have found low level viraemia in vaccinated animals after vaccination. The FG article tells us that DEFRA has denied claims that its tests for bluetongue disease had given false readings in the case of infected cattle on a farm at Tiverton. The farmer concerned had said the PCR tests had reacted to vaccine not virus. Defra however has said there was no mix-up and that the PCR test had confirmed bluetongue in eight cattle found on the farm at Tiverton last week..." ( Read in full)
Defra's CVO, Nigel Gibbens, is quoted in the article: "We are actually specifically looking for the virus itself and not the antibody....There's been more than one test and the PCR test is very sensitive so we are confident there has been no mix up."
But viraemia is not antibody and one wonders what the other tests were. As the correspondent who informed us of Intervet's finding of viraemia in vaccinated animals writes,
"This might be the case with the imported heifers. I hope that they will be re-tested and that maybe someone is bright enough to check the blood for infectivity. It might turn out that these animals are not infective at all."

September 1 2008 ~ Nigel Gibbens defends the decision not to slaughter the animals at Tiverton

See Farmers Guardian : "Killing those animals now might give the illusion of control but it doesn't guarantee anything at all. We did kill animals right at the beginning of the outbreak last year on the grounds that if the disease isn't already in the midge population - and we didn't have disease at all then - you have a chance. But the disease is already here and killing these animals would have very little effect in terms of disease control."

August 31st 2008 ~ Mass vaccination can begin in Wales tomorrow

Farmers right across Wales will be able to start vaccinating from tomorrow when the existing bluetongue protection zone will be extended to cover the whole of Wales - but the Daily Post reports that "....Welsh Assembly officials remain worried at the level of complacency among Welsh farmers. Feedback from this summer's agricultural shows suggests many producers believe the midge-borne disease will not reach Wales because England's protection zone is acting as a bluetongue buffer.
Rural affairs minister Elin Jones stressed Britain's first case of bluetongue was not confirmed until late September last year. She urged farmers to contact their vets and vaccinate their animals as soon as possible.... We have the vaccine this year. We didn't last year. But it will only make a difference if it's used."

August 30th 2008 ~ BTv-1 on the march northwards in France

An urgent meeting, described as "pessimistic", took place in France on Thursday about the progression of serotype 1 . It seems to be approaching at a rate of 50 km per week. (The green area shows regions where both serotype 8 and 1 have been confirmed.) There is however a problem with vaccine in France with only restricted amounts being available between now and October.
The confirmation of new cases of BTV1, in the Departments of Aude, Gers and the Lot and Garonne has led to a modification of zones. This zoning is instituted by the decree of August 27, 2008 defining the regulated zones relating to Bluetongue - coming into effect on August 28, 2008.
There are now 8167 cases of BTV8 in France resulting from viral circulation in 2008 and 178 new cases of BTV1 resulting from viral circulationthis year.
15,569 cases of Bluetongue were declared in France in 2007 (including 3 case of serotype 1). More information (in french) from gds18.org/

August 29th 2008 ~ More bluetongue imports

Defra confirms Bluetongue detected in Devon (BTV8) in eight imported cattle, on premises near Tiverton, Devon. "The animals originated from the same consignment imported from within the BTV8 Restricted Zone in Germany...The cases in Devon were detected as a result of post-import testing carried out by Defra on all Bluetongue susceptible animals arriving from Continental Europe, in addition to checks at the country of origin. ..There is no evidence to suggest that virus is circulating between local midge and animal populations in the local areas. Full epidemiological investigations are underway..."

August 29th 2008 ~ First new case in Denmark

BTv8 has been confirmed (by laboratory PCR testing) at Bredebro in the Tonder commune in the south of Denmark. According to the WAHID (OIE) report, the suspicion was based on clinical signs in two cattle, noticed at the time of vaccination of a cattle herd with 104 cattle and 13 sheep on 26 Aug 2008.

August 28 2008 ~ Bluetongue vaccine may arrive too late to help Cumbrian farmers

Tim Farron, MP, is quoted by Cumbria's North West Evening Mail: "....Rather than waiting until September 1, the area should have been included within the protection zone some weeks ago to give the farmers the best chance at the sales. Vaccination is not compulsory as long as the area has been officially declared a protection zone. But many farmers from the south or south east may want to opt for vaccinated animals as their first choice with anything else fetching lower prices at auction."

August 28 2008 ~ Cow infected in Switzerland between first and second vaccination

Showing how urgently necessary the vaccination campaign is, we read that a dairy cow in the Bernese Jura, has been diagnosed with Bluetongue and must have been infected before it had received its first vaccination. It had shown signs of the disease when the other 60 cows on the farm were getting their second vaccination. It now seems that five other animals in Jura may have the disease too (see also below).
Since the first Swiss case in October 2007, 21 animals, on 9 different Swiss farms have been infected. This new case and those in neighbouring countries show how vitally important the current vaccination campaign is. More details can be read (in french) on www.admin.ch

August 28 2008 ~ "It was entirely predictable..."

Dr James Irvine at www.land-care.org.uk is one of the few voices in Scotland to be pointing out that it is the EU regulations allowing free movement within infected areas that poses the greatest risk at present for Scotland
"...In the interests of trade rather than science the EC permits the free movements of livestock between so-called Protection zones throughout the EU ..... .
...While NFU Scotland huffs and puffs and complains to Hilary Benn about the English rolling out their vaccination programme right up to the border (as the English have consistently said they would), NFU Scotland have been conspicuously backward in demanding a derogation from the EC rule....
Also, NFU Scotland and other Scottish stakeholders, would have done well to have insisted that the Scottish Government ordered its 12 million dose supply of vaccine very much earlier in the year, or indeed at the same time as England did on 20th December 2007. Rather they and others, wasted valuable time arguing as to who was going to pay for it...."
The article can be read in full here. It is strange that so few media articles point out that it is the EU rules - no derogation seems even to have been properly urged - that have put Scotland at risk - along with its own delay in getting vaccine.

August 27 2008 ~ Post import testing has found Bluetongue in imported rams in Southern England

DEFRA has announced
"the detection of two cases of Bluetongue (BTV8) in imported rams on premises near Lewes, East Sussex and Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire Both animals originated from the same premises within the BTV8 Restricted Zone in Central France."
Animals are allowed to pass freely between Protection Zones in different member states and had been recently imported from France.

August 27 2008 ~ Scotland - the price of delay

Several articles today continue to quote Nigel Miller and to express concern that vaccination is to take place in the regions closest to the Scottish border before all the major sales of breeding and store stock have taken place.
The Herald quotes Dr Karen Smyth, rural development manager of the Scottish Rural Property Business Association (SRPBA) who says:
"The date at which the campaign will be introduced will be in the best interests of our livestock sector in Scotland. Being designated as a protection zone will bring with it considerable commitments, eg: bluetongue vaccinations and boosters will have to be administered for a number of years, and it will not be possible to remove that protection zone status without at least two clear years free of bluetongue. Therefore careful consideration must be given before we enter the protection zone."
The Scotsman : "The situation is highly complex, but the Scottish Government has indicated that it will hold another "stakeholder meeting" late next month, by which time the wider picture should be much clearer."
See also Plea for caution over importing of livestock in the Aberdeen Press and Journal and Call for supporting evidence of Bluetongue protection zone in the Farmers Guardian.
Reading such articles it is hard not to sympathise with the frustration of those like Dr Irvine (e.g. here) who say, "because of the lamentable lack of vaccine, Scotland will be left with an unacceptably high risk of getting bluetongue before the VFP arrives. While Scotland may. 'get away with it', it is not a risk its livestock farmers should be faced with."

August 25 2008 ~ Grim statistics from France

According to http://gds18.org/ACTUALITE/ACTUFCO.html (our unofficial translation) France is now reporting 5,621 cases of BTV8 resulting from virus circulating in 2008. In addition, there are now 74 new cases of BTV1 resulting from virus circulating this year (in the South West of the country).
"Restricted Zones have been extended following confirmation of new cases of BTV8 ( viral circulation 2008) in the departments of the Ardeche, of the Ardennes, Aube, Ille and Vilaine, Lot, Meuse, Haut Rhine, Savoy, Yvelines and Essonne.
BTV1, confirmed in Ariège, Haut Garonne, the Gironde, the Lot and the Garonne has involved a modification of the zoning of these regions.......For information: 15,569 cases of Bluetongue were declared in 2007 (including 3 case of FCO serotype 1).
6020 cases of FCO declared in the first half of 2008 (including 6 case of FCO serotype 1) related to the viral circulation of 2007."
Maps and pdf link at http://gds18.org/ACTUALITE/ACTUFCO.html

August 22 2008 ~ Pictures of misery

If farmers, not sure whether to vaccinate, are nevertheless curious as to the sort of state sheep and cows can be in when affected by Bluetongue, the photographs on this french website may help them make up their mind to protect their animals.

August 22 2008 ~ "alleged that the uptake of voluntary bluetongue vaccination in the areas south of Cumbria and Northumberland has been alarmingly low"

James Irvine on Land-Care.org ".... it is alleged that the uptake of voluntary bluetongue vaccination in the areas south of Cumbria and Northumberland has been alarmingly low, at only some 40 - 45%. That would not be enough to provided a reliable barrier to the spread of bluetongue disease... the crazy EC rules insist that livestock within all Protection Zones - whether they have active disease or not - must be allowed to move freely within these Protection Zones... bluetongue virus-carrying livestock will shortly be legitimately allowed to move right up to the Scottish Border, whether they come from England (which is awaiting its first resurgent case) or elsewhere in the EU (where disease is rife). ...even if Scotland managed to start with its first million doses by the first of October, cattle would not be fully protected until the first of December, although sheep would be by early November. But that is when the risk of bluetongue spread is on the decline. Therefore, because of the lamentable lack of vaccine, Scotland will be left with an unacceptably high risk of getting bluetongue before the VFP arrives...." Read in full

August 21 2008 ~ Scotland reacts to news that all England will be a PZ by September

Google latest news (an updating page of links about Scotland and bluetongue)
Stackyard quotes Nigel Miller:
"It is important to bear in mind that properly vaccinated stock will be able to move into a free area like Scotland over time. A veterinary certificate confirming vaccination should accompany these animals. They can leave the vaccination area after 35 days from full vaccination if they are tested for Bluetongue. Untested animals cannot be moved for 60 days following completion of full vaccination. A Post-Movement Notification Document (PMND) and a copy of the veterinary certificate of vaccination must also be sent to the Scottish Government within three days of the vaccinated animals arriving here.
"The time involved in properly vaccinating and certifying animals will run to months rather than days so this short window when free movement between free areas in Scotland and England can continue to take place will be all important."
The Scottish "tough it out" approach has not been tough on the virus but rather based on trade considerations and hoping for the best. As James Irvine wrote a few days ago on Land-Care.org (www.land-care.org.uk) :
"....Livestock movements during the summer months in Scotland are light, compared to those in the autumn and in the spring. Surely there was a window of some 3 months or more in the summer when vaccination could have been carried out with minimal disruption to trade? This, accompanied by a derogation that no livestock were to be imported into Scotland until compulsory vaccination had been effectively completed, would have seen Scotland safe from bluetongue serotype 8
But vaccine was not ordered early enough and there was no derogation forthcoming from the EC...."
It is a little hard to understand how Richard Lochhead, quoted in the Press and Journal,today can justify the statements: "...the priority for government and industry remained keeping Scotland free of the virus for as long as possible" and "We have pulled together to keep bluetongue out of Scotland " when no Scots farmer has been able to protect animals fom the virus by vaccination - and will not be able to do so until the winter. Instead they are threatened with "hefty fines" if they break the complicated movement rules.

21 August 2008 ~ Welsh unions are worried some producers may gamble and wait to vaccinate their animals next spring to save money.

The Daily Post reports that the unions, concerned that farmers may gamble on the disease, had asked for greater clarity on when Wales would become a Protection Zone. The Assembly has made it clear that this will not take place before Sunday, August 31. Similarly, DEFRA has said that Cumbria and Northumberland, the last areas to join an England-wide zone, will not be officially inside the zone before September 1 - unless, as in Wales- a new case is diagnosed in those areas. But farmers should be ordering vaccine now. The Daily Post quotes Christianne Glossop again, "This is a period of high risk for the disease and farmers must prepare to vaccinate now."

20 August 2008 ~ Bluetongue Protection Zone will be extended into Northumberland and Cumbria "shortly", says DEFRA.

Defra website: "... However, this will not happen before 1 September unless the re-emergence of circulating disease requires it..... . This will complete the vaccination roll-out by bringing the whole of England into the Protection Zone. .... Livestock keepers in the areas coming into the Protection Zone will be able to obtain the vaccine from the time they become part of the Zone; however, they are encouraged to order vaccine in advance through their vet. ....Animals can only be moved out of the Protection Zone if they are vaccinated, naturally immune or moving for slaughter, subject to meeting certain conditions." Read in full - and see also Farmers Guardian

20 August 2008 ~" the north of England and Scotland may well be hit harder by bluetongue disease.."

Writing in reaction to the NFUS call to halt vaccination in the north of England, Dr James Irvine of Land-Care.org (www.land-care.org.uk)
"......Surely there was a window of some 3 months or more in the summer when vaccination could have been carried out with minimal disruption to trade. This, accompanied by a derogation that no livestock were to be imported into Scotland until compulsory vaccination had been effectively completed, would have seen Scotland safe from bluetongue serotype 8.
But vaccine was not ordered early enough and there was no derogation forthcoming from the EC. Endless delays in Scotland ordering its 12 million doses have contributed, along with the absurdity of the EC rules, to the incredible situation whereby NFUS Scotland is seeking, in the interests of trade, to halt further vaccination in England. The risk is, of course, that the north of England and Scotland may well be hit harder by bluetongue disease than elsewhere in England or in Wales. But clearly NFU Scotland is hoping to get way with it. That is not the way to logically control the spread of such a dire disease as bluetongue." Read in full
See also last November's warmwell blog entry when we recalled Debby Reynolds' brave and wholly wrong opinion in 2006 about the risk from bluetongue and saw a sad similarity with Scotland's stance.

20 August 2008 ~ First Swiss case in 2008 - in an unvaccinated sheep

A case of bluetongue in the Jura canton of Switzerland was diagnosed in an unvaccinated sheep yesterday - showing, says www.admin.ch (french) - "that the vaccination campaign in progress since June is vital.....most of the cattle, sheep and goat population of our country has been vaccinated. The cases found in unvaccinated animals demonstrate the risk: infection is widespread and that without vaccination, the number of cases would be much higher."

18 August 2008 ~ Wales: "Farmers who intend to take their animals to sales in the current disease-free areas of Scotland and northern England are advised to move them before the end of August "

Dr Christianne Glossop is quoted in the Swansea Evening Post, warning that since the declaration of the protection zone in Wales is imminent - unlikely before the end of August but "the situation could change quickly" - farmers who want to move animals into the last remaining free areas should not get caught out by the declaration of the new PZ in Wales.
She added: "My message continues to be to farmers that they must prepare to vaccinate. There must be no complacency. There have been some 4,000 new cases of bluetongue in northern Europe in the past few weeks ,and we must remember that the first case of bluetongue in the UK last year occurred in September. This is a period of high risk for the disease." (Moving animals from one free area to another through a PZ is still allowed as long as movements conform to the licence regulations EXD467(BT)(E) Version 4 pdf. )

16 August 2008 ~ five new cases in the north of the Netherlands confirmed yesterday

See Reuters. "...The Dutch Agriculture Ministry urged farmers to vaccinate their goats, sheep and cattle against the bluetongue livestock disease after confirming five new cases in the north of the Netherlands on Friday. All five infected animals were sheep that had not been vaccinated against the virus ...."

16 August 2008 ~ "....the challenge is really to try and persuade Scotland to speed up its vaccination programme so that everyone is in the same zone as quickly as possible...."

Daelnet.co.uk reported on Thursday that the message from the North East and North West NFU in response to Scotland's wish for the vaccination programme to be halted in Northern England until after the Autumn sales "make no sense at all" The North East regional livestock board chairman and Rochester farmer, Malcolm Corbett is quoted
"With only Northumberland and Cumbria remaining outside the Bluetongue Protection Zone, it would mean imposing a 'voluntary' border across Northern England - to the detriment of both farmers and auction marts. It would also put English farms at risk of contracting this very serious disease....There's no doubt that extending the Protection Zone up to the Scottish border will create havoc... However while it's true that animals would normally be moving to Scotland at this time of year, it's also true that others move south and it's unacceptable to contemplate moving large quantities of unvaccinated animals into areas where vaccination has already taken place. So the challenge is really to try and persuade Scotland to speed up its vaccination programme so that everyone is in the same zone as quickly as possible. As a matter of urgency we also need them to relax their restriction on the movement of animals over the border for slaughter. This is something they could do very quickly and would go some way to easing the situation."
NFU County Chairman for Cumbria, Russell Bowmen, said that as usual it would be farmers paying the price for administrative discord.
"It has been obvious for months - ever since Scotland announced its decision to impose a compulsory vaccination programme later this year - that we would have a period of time where cross-border trade would be severely compromised."
The article goes on to say how important it is for the two governments in England and Scotland to work together to try and resolve this situation "before our struggling livestock industry is hit with another financial hammer blow." Read article

15 August 2008 ~ NFU Scotland is calling for a halt in the bluetongue vaccination programme before it reaches the north of England..

.. because " ..traditional trade would be affected if the north of England is brought into the vaccination zone before the regular calf sales take place this autumn," said NFUS vice-president, Nigel Miller. FWi quotes Nigel Miller: "The planned vaccination programme in Scotland is not due to kick in until the vector-free period starts in mid-December unless bluetongue hits before then. We believe the time is right to review the continued roll-out of vaccine in England. If the current timetable in England is met, there would be significant implications for calf producers in Northumberland and Cumbria who have traditionally supplied Scottish finishers through the September and October sales. Halting vaccination in the north would strike a balance between the economic considerations of trade disruption against those of necessary disease control."

....We fully understand the Scottish view and the importance of cross-border trading, but there is an industry wide view that we stick to the roll out programme as vaccine becomes available."

15 August 2008 ~ "in contrast to the 2008 situation in continental Europe, no renewed BTV-8 circulation has been recorded on the British Isles so far..."

ProMed carries a statement from Simon Carpenter at Pirbright in response to ProMed's request for information about the vector free period. What Simon Carpenter of Pirbright says in his statement to ProMed is that what seem like new cases (that we have noted as mentioned on the DEFRA website - two discovered very recently) are actually "consistent with historic infection prior to the declaration of the VFP" - In other words, are positives where infection seems to date from 2007 - not this year. The moderator's comment expresses gratitude for the authoritative, first hand response from Dr Carpenter, and the comment concludes,
"...The advantages related to VPF declaration may deserve a short explanation. Trade in animals is restricted during the vector activity period because the introduction of viraemic animals into BTV-free areas will enable the establishment of virus circulation through the infection of vectors feeding on the introduced carrier animals. Only animals testing negative to infection are allowed movement. However, during the VFP, such restrictions and conditions are alleviated or discontinued, leading to significant economical benefits, benefits to trade, as well as to the animal welfare aspects related to such restrictions.
It remains to be seen whether the current favorable situation in Britain, namely the absence of BTV-8 circulation, prevails throughout 2008."
The full ProMed posting can be seen here.

15 August 2008 ~ The adjuvants present in Bluetongue vaccine can cause false positives on TB tests

The immune response they stimulate means that vaccine should not be administered at the time of first injection of tuberculin in order to avoid any risk of interference with the TB test. Although there does not seem to be anything about this on the Defra website (can anyone see a reference to bTB testing at the time of BT vaccination?) the Farmers Guardian quotes a Defra spokesperson: "It is not recommend that any medicines, including bluetongue vaccines, should be administered at the time of injection of tuberculin (your vet's first visit) in order to avoid any risk of interference with the TB test. No problems are expected with using medicines on the day of the reading of the skin test (your vet's second visit)."

15 August 2008 ~Sheep farmers are being advised not to use the vaccine within two weeks either side of tupping

The Farmers Guardian says "....Some vets have already sent letters to their farmers warning them that vaccinating within two weeks of putting a ram into a ewe, or from the planned tupping date, could render the vaccine ineffective."
Alasdair King, veterinary manager at Intervet, is quoted: "Our advice on the bluetongue vaccine is the same with any other vaccine - we would not advise using it within two weeks of mating."

14 August 2008 ~ "the need for a concerted effort from the livestock industry to reignite their interest in vaccination"

Some UK farmers, still unwilling or unsure whether to bother to vaccinate, seem unaware of the reality across the Channel. According to the French website gds18.org there have now been more than 4,000 new "cases" (we can only assume this means affected animals but would appreciate clarification) of Bluetongue - both strains 8 and 1 - reported in France in 2008. The French government are to be congratulated on their decision - not backed by the EU - to help finance both vaccinations in areas at risk in the South West of France. (Ministry pdf) - but there are still areas where vets have still not yet received vaccine and livestock owners are very anxious.
As one correspondent writes,
"It is amazing how BTV8 has taken off in France, perhaps the veterinary vaccination is too slow a method along with the limitations in the amount of vaccine, and the reporting is encouraged by compensation - and there was a lot of BTV8 infection there to start with... I am not clear how BTV1 vaccination is going..."
Whatever the reason for the huge numbers of cases in France, the sooner the whole of England and Wales becomes one Protection Zone the better.
As we reported on August 6th, Wales' Christianne Glossop says,
"The precise timing for the protection zone declaration is dependent upon when vaccine batches are available. This decision highlights the need for a concerted effort from the livestock industry to reignite their interest in vaccination....We are entering the period of highest risk of bluetongue....."
And on August 12 the Western Mail reported again on the Welsh Assembly Government's decision, ".... to extend the zone to the whole of Wales instead of opting for a gradual roll-out, county by county." Of vaccination, NFU Cymru president Dai Davies said "The alternative is unthinkable. I remain firmly of the view that we cannot afford not to vaccinate."
Meanwhile, Scotland is gambling on there being no immediate risk.

11 August 2008 ~ Defra: "As of 00.01 Monday 11 August 2008 the Protection Zone will be extended again...

...but not Cumbria. DEFRA says it will "cover the Counties of Durham and Tyne and Wear (Metropolitan Boroughs of Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland) and the Unitary Authorities of Hartlepool, Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland.... We will continue to expand the Protection Zone and to roll out vaccination to the free area as vaccine is delivered.... The additional vaccine is available for use in the existing Protection Zone from today." See Zone map from Monday 11th Aug.
There seems to be no reason forthcoming about why Cumbria continues to be excluded from the PZ . Others with less urgent need have been brought into the fold. How can farmers in the Lake District buy, sell and show their livestock - and what will happen if animals are not protected now that it is evident that new virus is on the move? It really does seem odd. As one well-informed farmer from Cumbria wrote on Saturday, "it will have devastating effects on overwintering prospects in Scotland if matters are not sorted out with some speed."

8 August 2008 ~ Why is the Lake District - with all its hill farms and sheep - still left out of the PZ?

DEFRA is to be congratulated on its efficient roll-out of vaccine. Now that nearly all English counties are included in the Protection Zone however, it is curious and worrying that Cumbria, (together with Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear) is still left outside the protection zone. Farmers still don't know when they will be able to vaccinate and the chief worry is that the Autumn Sales will be disrupted for the second year running since last year's FMD virus escape at Pirbright led to disastrous movement restrictions over the whole country. Cumberland News says that the exclusion of Cumbria,
"effectively cuts Cumbria off from the most of the country, seriously limiting farmers on where they can buy, sell and show livestock."
The DEFRA site today reveals another case of Bluetongue, taking the total to 137 - but there is no official indication that this is new virus circulating - as it already is in Holland, Belgium, Germany and especially France.

7 August 2008 ~ 2008 virus in Holland

Agrarisch Dagblad says (our unofficial summary) "Bluetongue has been confirmed officially in the Netherlands - the first case this year. A young unvaccinated bullock in Staphorst had shown clinical signs. The central veterinary institute (CVI) of Wageningen has yet to confirm strain 8. Belgium and Germany have also new cases from virus circulating this yr."

6 August 2008 ~ All Wales to become PZ by the end of the month, it is hoped

We read in the Western Mail that Dr Christianne Glossop says,
"The precise timing for the protection zone declaration is dependent upon when vaccine batches are available. This decision highlights the need for a concerted effort from the livestock industry to reignite their interest in vaccination; the need to minimise the impact of bluetongue controls during the autumn trading season and to ensure the process is simple and easily understood.
We are entering the period of highest risk of bluetongue and, as midge populations become more active, the threat of virus circulation increases."
Read in full

5 August 2008 ~ Protection zone set to extend further on Thursday (August 7) after Merial delivered the first batch of its 13 million doses

The DEFRA website and the farming press report that
".. two further million doses of vaccine will be released and the PZ will extend to cover... parts of Shropshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, North Yorkshire and all of Lancashire and Merseyside... The Merial vaccine will only be available in 100ml bottles, at a cost of around £66.14- £79.36 a bottle (66-79p per dose) - around 10p a dose more expensive then the Intervet 50ml bottles currently available in the existing protection zone..."
Defra's roll-out plan will see vaccine gradually delivered to the free areas based on risk. See new zone map (new window). See Merial press release
The aim is that the PZ will eventually cover all of England and Wales. As long as farmers do vaccinate their animals, this is very good news for the UK and contrasts well with the situation in some parts of France for example which, although at risk, are still unable to protect their animals because their vets have not yet received vaccine. So far this year in France there have been 3,042 cases of BTv strain 8 outbreaks due to currently circulating virus and 15 new cases (outbreaks) of serotype 1. See (in french) gds18.org

1 August 2008 ~ The strain originates from sub-Saharan Africa

Professor Peter Mertens, who has researched the bluetongue virus for 25 years at the IAH, together with 24 co-authors from six different institutes have written a paper about their analysis of the full genome of the BTV strain currently in Northern Europe and their comparison of it to other BTV strains. (Maan et al. Sequence analysis of bluetongue virus serotype 8 from the Netherlands 2006 and comparison to other European strains. Virology, 2008; 377 (2): 308 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2008.04.028) It would seem then that ".....Although NET2006/04 showed high levels of nucleotide identity with other 'western' BTV strains, it represents a new introduction and was not derived from the BTV-8 vaccine, although its route of entry into Europe has not been established."

1 August 2008 ~ New EU -wide Bluetongue legislation comes into force today

The pdf file can be seen here (new window) The wording is, as usual, anything but easy to follow. The main concern is that animals being moved from one place to another .must have been protected against attacks by the vector Culicoides "In addition, at least one of the conditions set out in points 1 to 7 must be complied with....."

31 July, 2008 ~ Current situation in France

The green area of SW France is now aware of both strain 8 and strain 1 circulating. (UPDATE In parts at least of this green area, we discover, many veterinary surgeries have not received vaccine supplies - even though the risk is now from two strains.)
Below it, the pink area has only strain 1 so far. According to the french website http://gds18.org/ACTUALITE/ACTUFCO.html
(our unofficial translation) "New cases of Bluetongue strain 8 (i.e.circulating this year) have been confirmed in the departments of Aisne, Doubs, Maine and Loire, Vienne and Haute-Vienne - resulting in an extension of the protection zone. The confirmation of 4 new cases of Bluetongue strain 1 (2 in the Atlantic Pyrenees and 2 in les Landes) located in the heart of the existing PZ do not require any modification of zoning. Cases on these 4 new premises where animals had positive results had either not been vaccinated or had been vaccinated but not yet achieved immune status.
6020 cases have been detected in the first semester of 2008 related to virus circulating last year in 2007 .
1868 cases of BTV8 are related to virus circulating this year, in 2008. 9 new cases of BTV1 also resulting from virus circulating 2008. (There were 15,569 cases of Bluetongue detected in France in 2007 - including 3 case of serotype 1)
news.xinhuanet.com reports that departmental officials in the department of Allier (Central France) are planning to allocate 172,500 euros to help Bluetongue affected farmers in their department. We have not yet seen any confirmation of this

31 July, 2008 ~ vaccination programme "at risk of becoming a victim of its own success": Peter Morris

Joanne Pugh's article in the Farmers Guardian today quotes Peter Morris, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, who has warned farmers against becoming complacent.
"Although the vaccination programme had been a 'fantastic success' so far, with a 'phenomenal' uptake of around 85 per cent within the Protection Zone, that did not mean there was a big enough firewall for farmers in the north not to inject stock..."
He said that there are "difficult decisions" to be made now that "all the counties in the PZ were covered" since, if there was an outbreak outside the PZ, in uncovered Cumbria for example, there would not be enough vaccine available at short notice. Chris Oura advises farmers in the PZ not to move unvaccinated stock close to the edge of the PZ, presumably since this could, if midges carrying disease move with them, jeopardise the free zone. Mr Morris echoed our own concern about Scotland's not being able to vaccinate until the Autumn. This raises the ever important question - is the fear of losing trade really more important than the risk of spreading the disease? (In terms of the future of farming if Bluetongue really gets a hold, we would say definitely not - but in the short term one can understand, as Mr Morris does himself, the frustration caused by movement restrictions.) Read the FG article.

July 28 2008 ~ " potentially very damaging to Scotland's livestock, let alone livestock throughout the EU...".

www,land-care.org.uk
"..... Current EC rules continue to insist that there must be free trade of livestock between all Bluetongue Disease Protection Zones .... Previously the authorities argued that the risk of Scotland getting bluetongue disease this summer was small, because of the relatively slow rate at which midges are thought to travel via the wind. All that assurance comes to naught when free movements of infected livestock could shortly bring the virus to the Scottish border .... Worse still, the policy adopted by Defra for Bluetongue vaccination is that it is done on a voluntary basis, with the latest batches of vaccine supplied in 100 ml bottles. There is no way of knowing for sure what the effective uptake of the vaccination programme in England actually is.
Even worse again, when Scotland does get a supply of vaccine, as soon as the first dose is given to a single animal a Protection Zone will be declared. It takes two doses and two months for vaccination to be fully effective in cattle....."
Read in full. Dr Irvine links to the NBA petition asking urgently for a derogation to prevent the movement of livestock into areas until vaccination has a chance of being effective.

July 26 2008 ~ PZ expands again on Monday 28th July

to cover Herefordshire, the unitary authority of Telford and Wrekin and the districts in Shropshire (North Shropshire, Shrewsbury and Atcham, South Shropshire and Bridgnorth) previously in the Surveillance Zone, says DEFRA. "Extension into the last parts of the Surveillance Zone has been agreed following a review of the vaccine available in the supply chain." There will now be no Surveillance Zone in England and the Protection Zone will be expanded and vaccine supplied to free areas as soon as more supplies of vaccine become available. Livestock keepers in the Protection Zone are strongly advised to contact their private vet to place an order. The map of the new zones is added to the Zone map page (new window)

July 25 2008 ~ There may not be an absolute vector-free period in some areas, says EFSA

Asked by the European Commission to deliver advice on bluetongue with specific reference to the overwintering of the virus - and the protective measures that can be taken- the Animal Health and Welfare Panel (AHAW) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says that while recent data showed that in some areas, some Culicoides midges may remain active indoors through winter, the role of these insects in prolonging the transmission period of the virus is still not clear. There may not be an absolute vector-free period in some areas. (This may not be a surprising conclusion to some observers.)
According to the EFSA website, Member States are being advised to
"carry out in-depth analyses at regional level, since the life pattern of these insects may vary depending on location and season."
i.e. DEFRA is being advised to organise in-depth surveillance of the life pattern of the relevant midges in the various different areas of the UK.
As for the effectiveness of insecticides, the AHAW Panel said insecticides may be used to "limit the population" of Culicoides and their biting rates but should not be used as a stand-alone measure . By September 2008, the Panel intends to advise specifically "on the risks linked to the transit of animals through bluetongue infected areas".
For the pdf files showing the "Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare on request from the Commission on bluetongue" the links and a summary can be found here.

July 24 2008 ~ Cumbria is not yet in Protection Zone

According to the Ellesmere Port Standard, "Cumbrian farmers fear that they will lose out due to the county's omission from the Bluetongue Protection Zone. Cheshire and Greater Manchester farms will be able to vaccinate their animals but Cumbria remains outside the zone. Without the vaccine, farmers could lose out when sales begin in August, as each animal must wait a month after having the jab before it can be moved."

July 21 2008 ~ Latest map of zones

Can be seen here. The Protection Zone was extended again today to cover Worcestershire and the districts in North Yorkshire (Scarborough, Ryedale, Hambleton & Harrogate), Cheshire (Macclesfield, Congleton & Crewe and Nantwich) and Greater Manchester (Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside and Stockport) previously in the Surveillance Zone, as illustrated in the declaration (PDF 510 KB) which comes into force at 00:01 on 21 July 2008. This follows the delivery of 1.9 million additional doses of Bluetongue vaccine. Defra has also confirmed that the Merial BTV-8 vaccine has been awarded a provisional marketing authorisation from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

July 21 2008 ~ Insecticide manufacturer PelGar International has published a free booklet

Stackyard.com says that PelGar suggests that putting Defra-approved insecticides in and around animal housing, the parlour and livestock vehicles, will reduce the chances of the animals being bitten in the first place. PelGar manufactures a range of Defra-approved insecticides including Vulcan, a "high powered, ready-for-use triple action fly spray", and Alphaban which is diluted with water before spraying; both can be used to treat buildings, equipment, machinery and vehicles. The booklet gives more details of the available products and offers practical spray advice so that they can be applied correctly for greatest effect. Copies of Protect against Bluetongue are available free of charge by calling 01420 80744 or emailing office@pelgar.co.uk.

July 21 2008 ~ Wales may change its strategy to incorporate the whole of Wales in a protection zone.

Dr Christianne Glossop has said that the Welsh administration's current approach is too piecemeal and that, since the delay (see below) means that the new batch of vaccine is now not expected until mid August, Cardiff may decide the declare the whole of Wales a bluetongue protection zone in early September to allow livestock vaccination to proceed right across Wales. She is quoted by the Daily Post
"We are trying to calculate whether this is more advatageous than rolling out vaccination in a piecemeal manner, with all the confusing movement restrictions that would result."
livestock in protection zones would be subject to 60-day movement standstills, scores of sheep and cattle sales would be thrown into disarray. No decision has yet been taken and no vaccine will be held back.

July 18/19 2008 ~ In Wales, the roll-out of bluetongue vaccine has suffered a setback.

Delivery of the latest batch of 1.5m doses has been put back at least a month. Dr Christianne Glossop, who had hoped to declare south-west Wales a bluetongue protection zone in the next few days, is quoted in the Welsh Daily Post "On current indications we do not expect to roll-out the protection zone further until mid-August at the earliest." Few farmers in south-west Wales will now be able to sell breeding stock at the big NSA Cymru sales at Builth Wells in September and breed societies may now have to revise their sales programme. The reason given is that bluetongue experts consider that, given the potential advance of the disease, England should have priority for vaccine.

July 17 ~ Protection Zone will be extended again on Monday 21 July

to cover Worcestershire and the districts in North Yorkshire (Scarborough, Ryedale, Hambleton & Harrogate), Cheshire (Macclesfield, Congleton & Crewe and Nantwich) and Greater Manchester (Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside and Stockport) previously in the Surveillance Zone, as illustrated in the declaration (PDF 510 KB) which comes into force at 00:01 on 21 July 2008. This follows the delivery of 1.9 million additional doses of Bluetongue vaccine. Defra has also confirmed that the Merial BTV-8 vaccine has been awarded a provisional marketing authorisation from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. See DEFRA An order was placed in June with Merial to deliver 13 million doses of BTV-8 vaccine, eight million for use in England and five million for use in Wales.

Monday 14 July ~ "a particular threat to our Farm Animal Genetic Resources"

In an indication that DEFRA may be feeling less confident that the vaccination message is resulting in a high enough coverage to protect all ruminants, a DEFRA news release today quotes the Chair of the National Standing Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources and head of SAC Edinburgh's Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Professor Geoff Simm. He is particularly concerned about the survival of rare breeds:
"We are concerned that some keepers of rare and traditional breeds....may not have heard the vaccination message. ...urging vets to contact their clients with these breeds to encourage them to vaccinate. Protecting biodiversity in our farm animals and crops is important to help us meet future challenges, including that of feeding the growing human population in a sustainable way. We also have important national and international obligations to do so....."Read in full
Very true - but the unfortunate EU rule that vaccination is permitted only within the bluetongue protection zone means that even now there are farmers who do not feel any sense of urgency - and even within the zones it is alarming to hear that so many remain undecided. Without adequate coverage in farmed ruminants - and that really does have to approach 100% given the numbers of unvaccinated wild deer - there will be scant chance of stopping the virus. Official checks on efficacy are vital and it is hard not to sense a certain languid indifference on the part of some of those officials exhorting farmers to "order vaccine so that they can protect their livestock at the earliest opportunity". .

Monday 14 July ~ PZ extended today..

.. to cover all of the District of Selby, the Unitary Authority of York, West Yorkshire (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield), Derbyshire (including Derby), Staffordshire (including Stoke-on-Trent) and West Midlands (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall) See warmwell's Zone Map page and DEFRA website

Saturday 12 July ~ "It's all very well talking about the successes of bluetongue, but what hope is there of people working together now?"

FMD, TB and Bluetongue. While at least in the matter of Bluetongue, the UK is pretty much on track it does need the understanding and cooperation of all farmers if the virus is to be left with nowhere to go. One wonders if the real extent of dismay among those who farm dairy and beef cattle is touching anyone in the government. Many livestock farmers are in despair - and very, very angry. Distrust and a feeling of being utterly discounted has never been greater - yet the present food and energy crisis means that the country needs its farmers more than ever. Has the government really no inkling of this either?
Lyndon Edwards, chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers is quoted at www.thecep.org.uk Mr Edwards has a 200 head organic dairy farm in Chepstow and has lost 70 cattle over the last three years, costing him hundreds of thousands of pounds. He says
"As well as the value for the cattle, I am losing half a million litres of milk every year. I should be getting 35p/litre for it. Lots of farmers are on the brink of losing their business. What is particularly galling is just over the border in Wales, there is a chief veterinary officer who has a brief to control and eradicate TB.
It's all very well talking about the successes of bluetongue, but what hope is there of people working together now? The gloves are off. Farmers will start to refuse to co-operate to Defra's bovine TB measures and who can blame them. Mr Benn has missed a massive opportunity to control TB in both badgers and cattle. He talked about public acceptance, but if the public saw the suffering of infected badgers they would be horrified by the lack of animal welfare."

Friday 11 July ~ The National Beef Association says breeders looking for replacements, or store stock for feeding, will soon require proof of vaccination before they purchase

Kim Haywood, the director of the NBA is quoted at www.meatinfo.co.uk
"We know that farmers in TB areas would give their right hands to protect themselves from the disease in exchange for so little time and money and we are certain that every farmer in a BTV8 protection zone should be thinking the same. Bluetongue causes extensive cow infertility and premature births - and semen recovery of infected bulls may never return. ... surviving calves can be carriers ...Later this year we expect that breeders looking for replacements, or store stock for feeding, will require proof of vaccination before they purchase."

Friday 11 July ~ Risk involved if pregnant cows are imported

Jack Davies at the Farmers Guardian reports the warning that since "scientists have concluded that the bluetongue virus can pass across the placenta and infect unborn calves.."
" stock imported from the continent could bring the disease with it regardless of it having tested negative for the virus..."
An EU Working Group concluded at the end of April that "preliminary conclusions indicate that trans-placental transmission of BTV-8 occurs and it does so frequently but it has to be confirmed if this is the major means of over-wintering in Northern Europe". The Belgian research indicated that trans-placental transmission in cattle is proven for BTV-8 but so far no proof yet of trans-placental transmission in sheep. See recent papers

Wednesday July 9 ~The new declaration comes into force on the 14 July 2008 at 00.01.

DEFRA From 00:01 Monday 14 July, the Protection Zone will be extended again to cover all of the District of Selby, the Unitary Authority ofYork, West Yorkshire (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield), Derbyshire (including Derby), Staffordshire (including Stoke-on-Trent) and West Midlands (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall) as illustrate
The Declaration of a Protection Zone and a Surveillance Zone made at 16:00 on 2 July 2008 under the Bluetongue Regulations 2008 will be replaced by this declaration.

Wednesday July 9 ~ a DNA-based system has been developed that may "pave the way for the development of a highly safe, and successful vaccine against bluetongue"

We read at www.thaindian.com that Professor Polly Roy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has discovered that bluetongue virus (BTV) is using "unique viral enzymes to replicate..."
"Replication of the viral genome is the "heart" of a virus. It is the key process that allows establishment of infection. Understanding the fundamental processes of how bluetongue virus initiates and sustains infection will help us determine the best way to prevent and control bluetongue disease...
..... the scientists know that it is possible to synthesise the structures that allow replication of the virus in the lab, they believe they will be able to examine the effects of viral mutations on replication. Recently, a DNA-based system has been developed that will provide breakthrough experimental techniques of relevance to many viruses that infect humans and animals. It will also pave the way for the development of a highly safe, and successful vaccine against bluetongue disease. ..." Read in full
See also the background to Professor Roy's work on the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine website

July 8 ~"From today, the details on the VLA webisite of our turnaround time for the Bluetongue PCR have been modified..."

"We will endeavour to report the majority of results within five working days or less." Many thanks again to Lynn Hendry at the VLA (VLA website) She writes, "Previously it said that the turnaround for this test was a minimum of 7 working days but this was incorrect and should have read a turnaround of a maximum of 7 working days. I have also added that the majority of test results will be ready to report in 5 days or less." See also below for the problems of the 7 day limit for exporters of "other ruminants"

July 8 ~ NFU and BVA "fully supportive of this investigation"

Dr Chris Oura (Institute for Animal Health) and Dr James Wood (University of Cambridge) have just begun to investigate two aspects of bluetongue vaccination in Britain.. Dr Oura is quoted on the www.iah.bbsrc.ac.uk website: "We are most keen to get the involvement of farmers in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in this study, they being at the epicentre of last year's historic outbreak. To help farmers this year and next year, we need to assess how well vaccination is working and what reasons underlie decisions to vaccinate".
Dr Oura and Dr Wood want to
"...ascertain the take-up of vaccine by farmers and to understand better the reasons for the success of the programme. The other aspect is to quantify the animal health, welfare and financial benefits associated with vaccination. The results will be essential not only for demonstrating how worthwhile vaccination has been this year, but also to inform possible further vaccine development, formulation and application, and for preparing the most up to date information and advice for farmers for next year."
Dr Wood is Director of the Cambridge Infectious Diseases Consortium, a veterinarian who has specialised in the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases of livestock, horses and wildlife. http://www.vet.cam.ac.uk/cidc
All information sent to him "will be treated in strict confidence and will be unattributable". Email btv8@vet.cam.ac.uk or phone 01223 764962 See webpage

Tuesday 8 July ~ widespread ignorance around about the seriousness of the disease

A much repected farming friend writes in an email today:
"... as several of your correspondents have pointed out, there is still a worrying ignorance around about the seriousness of the disease. About a month ago I was in an agricultural merchants waiting my turn and overhearing the conversation of a woman in front of me. I realised that she had cattle and so I butted in and asked her how she had got on with the vaccination for Bluetongue. Her answer was 'I am still debating it'.
A week before my husband had been talking to a local grazier about when he was going to put cattle on a small scrap of environmental land we own away from the farm. When asked the same question about vaccination he said that he still hadn't made up his mind..."

Tuesday 8 July ~ no infrastructure in place for accurate checking on the numbers of vaccinates

The email goes on to echo the worry expressed long ago in March by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVA) that the UK plan would be unable to make it clear what percentage was vaccinated, when, and if this was carried out correctly. "It would seem unlikely that this would lead to a reliable overview of vaccination coverage, never mind export certification" This genuine concern seems to have been dismissed by Fred Landeg at the time. Today's email:
"What really worries me is that there appears to be no infrastructure in place for accurate checking on the numbers of livestock vaccinated. The official line is that since Defra knows the numbers of animals on farm from the annual census and also knows the number of vaccines ordered, officials will know roughly what the take-up has been. But this is not good enough.
If Defra is not going to take responsibility for accurate checking of vaccine take-up and identifying areas and individuals with no vaccination, then the BVA/RVC should ask their members
(a) to check on numbers of ruminant owners in their practices who have failed to vaccinate susceptible animals;
(b) to report back to BVA/RVC and Defra;
and (c) write urgently to those who have not vaccinated urging them to do so without delay - assuming that the vaccine is still available in all protection zones.

Tuesday 8 July ~ A worrying abrogation of responsibility

How can Defra expect farmers to share costs if Defra abrogates the basic responsibility of collecting information, when it has the data bases which could be used to provide it? At the same time, Defra needs to work in conjunction with the veterinary profession in order to get a complete picture - there will be numbers of livestock keepers with minute numbers of animals but who will almost certainly be registered with a vet.

Monday July 7 2008 ~ The Protection Zone will be extended again today

"Almost 2 million additional doses of Bluetongue vaccine" have arrived. The Protection Zone will be extended to cover all of the East Riding of Yorkshire (including the City of Kingston upon Hull), South Yorkshire (made up of the metropolitan boroughs of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield), Gloucestershire (including the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire) and Warwickshire, as illustrated in the declaration (PDF 524 KB). Livestock keepers in the Protection Zone should contact their private vet to place an order. See also relevant DEFRA page
For detailed map see current Zone map.

July 3/4 2008 ~ The VLA addresses concerns about the turn round time for the Bluetongue PCR, particularly for goat breeders.

We have heard from the VLA today:
"The reason we have a 7 working day turn round time is to allow for any technical problems with the test and for retesting of samples. We will be endeavouring to report results routinely within 4 to 5 working days or less but have allowed 7 days for the reasons I have given above. We will be aiming to test twice a week and so it should be only rarely that a submission takes 7 working days to report. I hope this answers your query and that your warmwell readers will be assured and satisfied by this reply."
The VLA is evidently working very hard indeed to speed up tests and Warmwell.com is very grateful to Lynn Hendry and others at the VLA for such a quick and helpful response. The VLA is well known among farmers for its helpfulness and friendly approach. The problem for the exporters of "other ruminants", alas, remains that a seven day limit is very tight even if tests can be done in 5 days. If tangible evidence in the form of a letter is required to back up the export licence then a ten day limit would seem only reasonable. How are the test results going to be reported to the exporter? If an email or fax would do then there would be less of a problem - but if DEFRA is demanding a formal paper trail any technical problem could result in delays and losses. If prebooked transport arrangements with hauliers had to be cancelled because of a technical hitch it would be very expensive. It might not even be possible to rebook and then one would be faced with having to test yet again at some future point and go through the same process and anxiety.

July 3 2008 ~ South West Wales will be next

Wales' Daily Post says that once the south east area vaccination, begun on friday, is completed ".. the programme will shift to an area including the remainder of Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. It had been thought the next area to be targeted would be the Welsh borders in order to create a buffer zone against the disease's midge-borne advance from England. But Wales' chief vet Dr Christianne Glossop said the south west was chosen after a veterinary risk assessment and analysis of livestock populations, meteorological conditions and predicted midge circulation. The area will be declared a protection zone to allow vaccination to begin..." Read in full

July 3 2008 ~ Experts have predicted an early influx of the Culicoides midge

Yesterday's Mail (which does not mention Bluetongue) gave a gloomy forecast after the mild winter and wet spring has created ideal breeding conditions for midges and mosquitoes
"...'Generally, July and August are the key months for pest prevention, but these environmental conditions have meant that the season has started much earlier than normal.' Paul Pearce-Kelly, senior curator of invertebrates at the Zoological Society of London, explained: "..... Changing weather patterns and milder winters are creating conditions more favourable to mosquito breeding. We are seeing a trend of an increasingly favourable climate here to mosquitoes. Normally the biting winters in Britain would kill everything off, but now we are seeing much milder conditions which means we are becoming more vulnerable to these pests. 'Increased travel - not just of humans but of cargo too - is also producing an environment in which mosquitoes flourish.'..."
Read in full

July 3 2008 ~ Scotland's vaccine is to be available in 100ml bottles only.

The Merial vaccine is to cost around £70 per 100ml bottle Unfortunately the problems that the size of bottle is likely to cause - such as waste and misuse - do not seem to have occurred to those doing the ordering. The Land Care website has more detail. Extract: "...Scotland only ordered its 12 million doses on 27th June: last week (1). Two million doses are said to be promised should BTV8 strike Scotland before the Vector Free Period in December. But it looks as though much of that 2million doses may be wasted on account of the large bottle size. The purchase of Scotland's vaccine is a cost sharing business, with the Scottish Government contributing up to £3million of the cost. The rest, whatever the cost, is to be paid for by the industry. But Scottish stakeholders were allowed no part in the tendering process...." Read in full

July 2 2008 ~ Another new case in France

has been confirmed in the Département of Aveyron at Huparlac. There are now in France 6 017 cases of BTV reported during 2008 (of which 6 are bluetongue serotype 1). Of the year's reported cases of BTV8, 13 cases are "this year's" virus circulating in 2008 (There were 15 569 cases reported in 2007 (of which 3 were of serotype 1). The report in French.

July 2 2008 ~ Testing other ruminants for export "...the turn round for these tests is 7 working days! How on earth are we meant to cope with this?"

An anomaly in the Licence and Testing programme for exports has come to our attention. Because the BTV vaccine has not yet been granted a Marketing Authority for other species, different rules for export apply to ruminants other than sheep and bovines. For the purposes of the new EXD484 Licence "to move ruminants other than cattle or sheep", goats, camelids, or any other ruminants must undergo two blood tests under one of two timescales. However, in both options, the second test must be done not more than 7 days before the export. The VLA website has details of the testing and it quite clearly states that the turn round for these tests is 7 working days.
Some goat owners feel, not unnaturally, very frustrated at the way in which goats in particular are treated in the UK. There are 90,000 in Britain - with some very large dairy herds regularly exporting quality stock all over Europe. One farmer, who is just about to start working with the Norwegians on a large AI programme in Cashmere goats with a view eventually to exporting to Norway and Tanzania, says, "We might be small but as a species we probably punch above our weight for live breeding stock exports. We could do without this sort of additional headache!"
Any helpful comment to warmwell.com about this would be much appreciated.
Jane Barribal of farmtalking writes, "those affected should write/phone to the VLA/DEFRA/their MP's etc,. and explain the logistical difficulties of this time scale. It may seem obvious to us but probably isn't to those who sit in offices and have never seen a goat and may have no idea what a camelid is."

July 1 2008 ~ PCR test for Bluetongue

A PCR test for Bluetongue now available from the VLA
"The Veterinary Laboratories Agency has worked in collaboration with the Institute of Animal Health (IAH) at Pirbright to introduce the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test for Bluetongue virus. This test is now available via veterinary surgeons for pre-movement (UK) and export testing purposes only. As of this date, PCR testing for these purposes will no longer be available from IAH, Pirbright."
According to the VLA website, prices of PCR tests are:
single sample submitted - £30
2 to 9 samples submitted - £25 per sample
10+ samples submitted - £22.50 per sample
Price of ELISA test: £4.50 per sample
These prices include the cost of up to two re-tests, if required, as defined in the approved testing protocols.
All samples for bluetongue testing for pre-movement (UK) or export purposes must be submitted to the VLA. Samples submitted to the Pirbright laboratory for testing for pre-movement (UK) or export purposes will not be tested from now on. PCR samples must be submitted using the: VLA Bluetongue PCR Submission Form (pdf)
ELISA samples must be submitted using the: VLA Bluetongue ELISA Sample Submission Form If tests for diseases, other than bluetongue, are needed on the same animal, farmers are asked to supply additional sample(s) and submit them using the appropriate submission forms. (The VLA webpage should be viewed in its entirety.)

Tuesday July 1 2008 ~ Vaccine arrives in South East Wales

850,000 doses of the vaccine are now available but it is somewhat depressing to read in the Welsh press such as the Western Mail that since there is "no compensation for those whose flocks or herds are infected" vaccination is "essentially a business decision". The UK is relying on the voluntary good sense of all farmers to effect a vaccination coverage of the necessary breadth - and, given the susceptibility of wild deer that cannot be easily vaccinated, this really must approach 100%. One realises with concern that in the UK, if the virus is left pockets of unvaccinated animals in which it can take hold and spread, then the vaccination campaign could falter and fail. The Western Mail also quotes NFU Cymru president Dai Davies
"I'm urging those farmers in the Protection Zone to vaccinate their susceptible animals such as sheep and cattle as soon as possible in order to protect their stock, their livelihoods and the industry as a whole ...While I appreciate it is an added cost at a time when the livestock sectors can ill-afford it, I regard it as a small price to pay .... The alternative is unthinkable. I don't think we can afford not to vaccinate."
Mr Davies also made it clear that the "rumours of adverse reactions to the vaccine circulating around livestock markets were unsubstantiated" See also below.

June 30 2008 ~ PZ now covers the whole of France

On June 20, 2008 the whole of continental France was declared a Protection Zone since there is now no Department to remain unscathed - indeed, the SW part of France fears a possible double attack from both strain 8 and strain 1. The bluetongue restricted zones of Europe now look like this.
Large version.
The Groupements de Défense Sanitaire or GDS are animal health groups in France who act in conjunction with the official Veterinary Services to devise and implement action plans against disease and who have, for example, devised a collective mutual aid system for compensating economic losses. They are active in most areas and their webpages - in french - are informative and easy to navigate. Just one page on the Department 18 GDS site, for example, gives an indication of how helpful such an organisation can be. Current cases and zones are shown on coloured maps and there are useful links on subjects such as vaccination, vaccines and additional financial aid from the government. French livestock owners - thanks particularly to the GDS - have, up until now, had access to a certain amount of compensation from disease losses (This ceases at the beginning of the Summer). An Agriculture Ministry memorandum explains (in french) on this pdf file the nature and amount of official financial help. Such a wealth of helpful, transparent and up-to-date information may make British farmers wonder why such clarity is not available on their own side of the Channel.

June 29 2008 ~ "..may be the best option from the point of view of trade restrictions in the short term, but it is not the best way of controlling spread and therefore of protecting trade in the longer run."

Dr Irvine of the Land Care website does not share the optimism expressed below by Nigel Miller. In his Land Care article yesterday he expressed again how axiomatic it is that vaccination comes before a threatened disease arrives ..."But when will the EC get round to recognising that axiom?"
"...... whatever the epidemiological modellers may say, Scotland is at risk from bluetongue as early as this summer and late August..
The EPIC Report ( note: EPIC is the Scottish Government's Epidemiological and Population Health and Infectious Disease Control Centre, based at the Glasgow Vet School) on the threat of bluetongue disease to Scotland, chaired by Professor Gunn of Aberdeen and involving six of Scotland's scientific establishments and Pirbright, has had its remit extended and has not yet published its findings. Although the risk of bluetongue reaching Scotland may be thought by the SCVO and his advisers to be low, the consequences of it happening would be dire... We should not be taking such a risk..... "
If bluetongue disease arrives in Scotland before the so-called vector-free-period, the Scottish authorities intend to keep Protection and Surveillance Zones as small as possible. As Dr Irvine says, this is hardly "the best way of controlling spread and therefore of protecting trade in the longer run." If England's Protection Zone arrives at the border with Scotland before the end of infected midge activity it would put border animals at risk since, under present EU rules, movement of livestock from anywhere within other Protection Zones is allowed - even where bluetongue has been rife and vaccination not yet effective. As Dr Irvine concludes: "These matters must be cause for much anxiety among livestock farmers in Scotland, but none more so than those who farm in the Scottish Borders." Read in full

June 27 2008 ~ NFU Scotland has welcomed the announcement that the Scottish Government has placed its order for Bluetongue vaccine

Stackyard "The order for twelve million doses of vaccine - enough for all of Scotland's cattle and sheep - has been placed with the pharmaceutical company Merial. Deliveries are expected to start in August. Depending on disease developments in England, Scotland may choose to start its compulsory vaccination campaign in the winter.... "
Nigel Miller is quoted: "The announcement....allows for a flexible approach to disease control in Scotland. Vaccination is moving ahead at pace in England and Wales, and Scottish livestock farmers are hugely reliant on that voluntary programme receiving the full backing of producers in those parts of GB that currently have access to vaccine stocks. Vaccination is the key tool in preventing the disease from getting a foothold in the UK in the next few months. Should the disease cross the Scottish border this summer then we now have the tools in place to react. If the disease's progress is stalled by the vaccination campaign elsewhere in the country then Scottish vaccine stocks will be in place to allow a protective campaign this winter."
Unaccountably, stakeholders at the meeting on June 24 (see below) were not told that this order was going to be placed.

June 27 2008 ~ Zones will be extended today. Latest vaccine batch has cleared

DEFRA announced on Wednesday "The Protection Zone will be extended at midday on Friday 27 June, following the latest delivery of 2 million doses of Bluetongue vaccine." The new zones will be put on our zone map page as soon as possible. Livestock keepers in the areas coming into the Protection Zone will be able to obtain the vaccine from the time they become part of the Zone but need to order vaccine in advance through their vet.
Protection Zone restrictions will apply to those keepers coming into the extended zone. Animals can move out of the Protection Zone if they are vaccinated, naturally immune or moving for slaughter, subject to meeting certain conditions. Animals will also be able to be moved between the Protection Zones in Wales and England, subject to the conditions on the transit licence.

June 25 2008 ~ As expected, no order has yet been placed for Bluetongue serotype 8 vaccine (BTV8) for Scotland.

Dr James Irvine, whose disappointment and deep concern following yesterday's stakeholder meeting, is apparent at the Scottish Land Care website, writes that Scottish livestock farmers were led to believe that an order for 12 million doses was imminent, but still have no clear idea when the vaccine will be available. (Some 2 million doses may, possibly, be available before then if (if!) BTV arrives.) He writes:
"Is the EPIC epidemiological modelling study, commissioned by the Scottish Government, available in the public domain? It should be....
...It would be interesting to read the evidence on which the remarkable statement is based that significant disease control is achieved with only 50% vaccination. It looks as though it is a smokescreen to cover the eventuality that the 2 million doses that may be available before December 2008 are not going to be enough..."
What is deplored by so many of us, and by Dr Irvine in particular, is that there is, as ever, too much emphasis on trade considerations - rather than on effective disease control and clear communication with anxious farmers. "....Obfuscation in the procurement of essential bluetongue vaccine is the last thing we need, " he says, adding that because of, " inappropriate bureaucracy such as illogical EC rules on vaccination in disease-free countries (2), Scottish livestock farmers are being forced to accept serious risk.." Read in full.

24 June 2008 ~ DEFRA issues New Licence

New licence: EXD484(BT)(E) - (pdf new window) General licence for the movement of ruminant animals other than cattle and sheep out of a Bluetongue Protection Zone or a Bluetongue Surveillance Zone including movements to free areas outside England or Wales or for export.

June 24 2008 ~ Worse and worse..

Clear and friendly communication with farmers and vets has never been more urgently needed. Another email - from Devon again - tells us that a farmer, concerned about the costs involved with vaccinating all of his stock, was advised by his vet
".... to do his cattle, his pedigree sheep and any sheep which were to be turned out onto the moor (and therefore difficult to access later). As for his commercial flock on more accessible grazing, the advice was 'wait and see how the disease progresses and/or wait until vaccination is made compulsory so the Government will pay for it'. Can it be possible that a vet is giving out advice like this?"
Unfortunately it looks very much as if it can. Even now - with time so desperately short - and even after the splendid efforts of JAB, accurate information is not getting to the right places. Any helpful indications that this worrying situation is being addressed would be very welcome indeed.

June 24 2008 ~"I've done my best to explain why but keep feeling I shouldn't have to do this..."

Another concerned farmer in Devon has written. Extract:
"Following on from your correspondent from Dartmoor whose neighbours are NOT vaccinating, I have a different problem. My neighbour runs 300 head of cattle and has bought the vaccine but left it at the vets! I am completing my 2 doses next weekend and he hasn't even started.
.... It's going to be a lot of trouble getting all the cattle together to vaccinate so he wants to wait to see if there is indeed any further incidence before going ahead. I've explained until I'm "blue" in the face that you need to vaccinate ahead of any further outbreaks because animals won't be immune until sometime after the second dose. It just doesn't seem to register.... There is also a problem with some local Alpaca keepers. Some have got together and decided to administer only half the dose of 1ml believing that it can't possibly be right that Alpacas need the same dose as cattle! Again, I've done my best to explain ...."
The writer wishes that not only alpaca owners but also those farmers who are happy to let vaccine sit in a fridge "to see if there's any further incidence" need access to authoritative and correct information, adding," I keep feeling I shouldn't have to do this.." (Warmwell.com knows the feeling.) See also our May posting "What about camelids" while the relevant BVA one-page summary on vaccine for all susceptible speciies can be seen here (pdf)

June 24 2008 ~ Fort Dodge has begun to supply Italy with BTV8 vaccine

Fort Dodge Animal Health has announced the supply of the first 500,000 doses of the Company's Zulvac® 8 vaccine. Serotype 8 was first identified in Italy in March 2008 in the province of Verona.  Fort Dodge is one of two companies appointed by the Italian government to produce the Bluetongue Serotype 8 vaccine and will supply a total of 4.4 million doses during June and July. Mass vaccination of cattle will start in the province of Verona, followed by Mantova and Brescia, and then extending to cover all sensitive cattle in the North of Italy.  The management of the vaccine distribution process will be carried out by the Istituto Zooprofilatico delle Venezie.  Fort Dodge is first company to supply the Serotype 8 vaccine in Italy.  It is being produced at the company's manufacturing facilities in Weesp, The Nederlands. See press release

June 24 2008 ~ "We are based on Dartmoor and to my concern a significant number of our neighbours have decided not to vaccinate .."

"..as a result of the rumours circulating about the vaccine causing abortions in their cattle. We are vaccinating tomorrow..." Part of an email received on Monday evening.
WHY are such rumours still circulating? This farmer's neighbours in Dartmoor may - like the very concerned writer of the email - be self-confessed "Luddites" when it comes to the internet and are not being advised, it seems. We have attempted to put such rumours to rest - but the website is a voluntary one with limited readership. Even now that - for bluetongue at least - vaccination has been accepted by the EU as the only viable choice, it is hardly surprising that farmers are baffled and unsure what to do since vaccination for FMD has been ignored and many farmers still erroneously assume that this must be because it is in some way unsafe. The real reason for the non-use of safe vaccines, such as those available for foot and mouth, rests on trade considerations alone. Scientifically based animal health policy is a matter of national importance yet, in spite of a certain amount of self congratulation that seems to be going on in high places, there are still baffled and worried farmers who are choosing out of fear and ignorant rumour not to vaccinate. This is truly alarming.

June 24 2008 ~ Austria will start vaccinating livestock in the regions bordering Germany from July.

Plans are to cover the whole of Austria once sufficient vaccine is available. The first 30.000 doses of vaccine should be available early in July in the Vorarlberg region and the priority is to vaccinate animals first that are destined for marketing in autumn. Vaccination is compulsory. www.dolomiten.it

June 23 2008 ~ 3D model of the Blue Tongue virus 5,200,000 times the size of the real thing has been created by Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) engineering researchers

According to The Engineer Online The engineering researchers at Warwick University have based their model on data provided by IAH Pirbright and Oxford University.
"...The Warwick team used rapid prototyping technology, normally used to create highly accurate 3D copies of components for a range of manufacturing processes, to create an accurate 3D model virus that is 5,200,000 times the size of the real thing. Dr Greg Gibbons, who leads the University of Warwick's WMG's rapid prototyping team, is working with Prof Peter Mertens, head of the Arbovirus Research Group at the Institute of Animal Health at Pirbright, and Robert Esnouf of Oxford. 'Having a physical model that you can pick up and peer at will make a huge difference,' said Prof Mertens.
The Blue Tongue model will be on show at the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition in London from June 30 to July 3.

June 23 2008 ~ Open Letter to Charles Milne asks for early vaccination in Scotland to be accompanied by a voluntary import ban while effective vaccination is being completed

Dr James Irvine has written an open letter to Scotland's CVO, Charles Milne, Vaccinate at the earliest possible date
"..... Why on earth are Scottish farmers importing beasts from countries with high disease is beyond me, when the limitations of premovement testing are obvious. But the illogical EC rules allow this to happen. ... .... it may be argued by some that there is no point in vaccinating in late August or September (should the vaccine for Scotland be available by then) since by the time vaccination could be fully effective the disease risk would have been largely gone. I believe this to be quite fallacious. Effective vaccination gives protection for 12 months. There is considerable latitude on either side of the 12 months.....
....vaccination ..surely must start at the Borders and work north. Waiting until the whole of Scotland has vaccine would be distinctly unwise ....At present livestock farmers do not know whether vaccine has even yet been ordered for Scotland..."
The letter should of course be read in full on the www.land-care.org.uk website
The next stakeholders meeting in Scotland is today (Monday) The Scottish Government declared on March 7 they were going ahead with the process of acquiring 12 million doses of BT-8 vaccine for all the cattle and sheep in Scotland. Since then, there has been no news for livestock owners.

June 20 2008 ~ "...as Anna Hill finds out, vaccination is patchy and there is no system in place to monitor how many animals have been treated."

Farming Today (June 19) suggests that farmers are being too complacent about vaccinating their livestock. Richard from Elm Farm commented later on the BBC page " the only sensible target amongst susceptible farm livestock is for 100 per cent uptake.... 80 per cent as a target will mean farmer uptake well below that. A serious point for consideration is the potential reservoir of Bluetongue infection in wild susceptible animals such as deer....a 100 per cent vaccination target in farm livestock is even more critical ..."
John Brigg from Warwickshire, under restrictions in a Surveillance Zone since last October said, ".... Although desperate to move into the PZ and start vaccinating I can accept there has been a hiccup in the vaccine supply but dread Warwickshire being moved into the PZ before the Royal Show. This would have the effect of allowing stock - vaccinated or not, it is a voluntary scheme - into the county from all over the previously infected areas into a county with a naive population of midges and unvaccinated livestock."
On the programme, the point was also made that lack of portable handling equipment makes it difficult or even impossible to vaccinate cattle on the marshes. It may be remembered that this caused real problems during the 2007 FMD crisis in Surrey. Lack of such equipment raises serious questions about the feasibility of emergency vaccination and testing in a crisis.

June 20 2008 ~ Federation of Veterinarians of Europe warning revisited

The UK does deserve quite a lot of credit: the zones will be extended again, vaccine is available and more is on its way. How very angry Fred Landeg (now retired, now CBE) was when the FVE was so dismissive of the UK scheme back in March. Its president, Walter Winding, gave us a depressing insight into what our European neighbours seem to feel about the way UK disease control is handled; "Irrespective of the disease outbreaks the UK has faced over recent years, it continues to cut budgets and to reduce its Animal Health Services...."
The FVE added that the UK would be unable to make it clear what percentage of livestock had been vaccinated, nor when and if this had been carried out correctly, adding that it was unlikely that the UK scheme
" ...would lead to a reliable overview of vaccination coverage, never mind export certification."
We must remain hopeful that the JAB organisations, with their determination to encourage the highest possible coverage, will be able to ensure that this prophecy was wrong.

June 20 2008 ~ June 2 batch of vaccine clearing for shipment - we hope

DEFRA says today, "The batch, which has already been prepared, is undergoing final, rigorous quality control testing and indications so far are promising. However, before it can be released, the vaccine needs to undergo remaining checks, including final clearance from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. As soon as we've had that clearance, we will update this page with further information and make an announcement about the next stage of the roll-out..."
Cornwall, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, the current Restricted Zone in Wales and the major part of Yorkshire will be able to be assimilated into the Protection Zone - and thus able to vaccinate - as soon as the batch is released. They had hoped to start vaccinating on June 2. As we say below, Intervet's Alasdair King said the delay was not related to any problems with the vaccine.
The UK's other supplier, Merial, hopes to start delivering the additional 13 million doses ordered by Defra "as early as July", according to this Farmers Guardian article.

June 19 2008 ~ Roll-out of the vaccine to the South East Wales bluetongue restriction zone "imminent".

Wales Daily Post reports
".....NSA Cymru development officer Helen Davies said the roll-out of the vaccine to the South East Wales bluetongue restriction zone was imminent. Leftover vaccine from the first 2.5m-dose batch will be targeted at Welsh border farms to create a buffer zone. The rest of Wales must wait until late summer - probably August - until vaccine from a second 5m-dose batch becomes available..."
The rest of Wales is understandably worried. One farmer from Mid Wales, not only concerned about protecting flocks from Bluetongue, is quoted:
"Unless the whole of Wales is soon designated a Protection Zone and the vaccine is rolled out throughout Wales, then this year's breeding sales will be a disaster."
Breeders are of course anxious since the 60 day standstill following vaccination affects farmers' ability to get sheep into sheep breeding sales. The National Sheep Association and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society are organising a meeting at the Royal Welsh showground on Wednesday, 25th June at which it is hoped the Welsh CVO, Dr Christianne Glossop, will address concerns about the bluetongue vaccination timetable.

June 19 2008 ~ DEFRA's next batch of vaccine from Intervet, already prepared, has been undergoing "rigorous quality control testing"

It seems very likely that the next batch from Intervet will be soon available. They have risen to the occasion with very commendable speed - and as we say below, the fact that DEFRA has ordered further supplies from Merial is in no way at all a reflection on Intervet since they were not in the tender, being already so busy with current supplies. DEFRA's website hopes to have news of the planned expansion of the Protection Zone tomorrow. Intervet are apparently receiving a very low number of suspected adverse reactions following vaccination: none of which is causing serious concern. See DEFRA's vaccination page.

June 17 2008 ~ "no significant fertility problems have been reported"

On the subject of the recent and odd rumours about fertility problems, Dr Chris Oura, Head of the Non-Vesicular Reference labs at Pirbright, writes the following:
" I have attended many scientific presentations on all aspects of bluetongue vaccination and I have never heard any significant reports of fertility problems in sheep vaccinated with inactivated bluetongue vaccines. Inactivated bluetongue vaccines have been used extensively in many countries in southern Europe since 2006 in both sheep and cattle with no significant fertility problems. My feeling is there is confusion here with use of live attenuated vaccines which have been reported as causing fertility issues.
I must emphasise that the vaccine we are using in the UK in an inactivated vaccine and up to the present date no significant fertility problems have been reported related to the use of inactivated vaccines in sheep and cattle. "
It is to be hoped any rumours that deter farmers from vaccinating can be scotched as soon as possible. Alasdair King, veterinary manager at Intervet, whose views are the same as those of Dr Oura, told warmwell that the confusion has arisen because people have heard that the disease itself can cause infertitility, abortions and abnormalities (e.g.see below). However, we are dealing here with a safe, inactivated vaccine and it is vitally important that all farmers who can, now order and use it.

June 17 2008 ~ Midgeater and Barrfly technology "This technology is an essential building block in ensuring we can control the disease.." Nigel Miller

The Sunday Herald's article:
".... In 2003, Texol developed the Midgeater, a machine that sucks up the insects after mimicking the CO2-generating effects of animal breath, which attracts the insects. ... .. Powered by propane gas and electricity, the new devices will be smaller and cheaper to produce ... a retail price under £500... ...Glasgow-based Innovent (Scotland) Ltd, founded by entrepreneur Bobby Motherwell, .... invented the Barrfly - a light, fabric-based ducting which creates an air curtain that cannot be penetrated by flying insects and can be fitted around outdoor structures...
Nigel Miller, vice-president of NFU Scotland, said: "Combating bluetongue is our number one priority.... This technology is an essential building block in ensuring we can control the disease." .... ...."
Read in full

June 16 2008 ~ Farmers should vaccinate and not be deterred by unsubstantiated rumour

There is deep concern that farmers are hearing and being alarmed by rumours concerning the vaccine's possible effect on fertility in sheep. Belgium has been mentioned. * No experts we have spoken to or heard from have been able to find any substance to such rumours. Evidently all such worries are taken very seriously but it should be remembered no vaccine ever produced has ever carried an absolute zero risk. In Europe, sheep already infected with the disease previously and then vaccinated are likely to experience increased infertility of course, but the vaccine itself does not seem to have been shown to have any effect on fertility. If there were any reports to the contrary they would be immediately posted up here and, as usual, any helpful information will be gratefully received (contact).
The message now is vaccinate. Do not delay.
UPDATE One very eminent veterinary source writes to warmwell,
"The simple answer is that the actual disease can cause problems with fertility, probably also stillbirth, abortion, foetal abnormalities and neonatal deaths. Live vaccine can also produce similar problems, but the vaccine being used throughout Europe to provide protection against BTV8 is NOT live and it is therefore safe - and sensible - to use it. Economic losses and welfare problems will be far greater if people do not vaccinate - BTV 8 is a very nasty virus."
The next batch of vaccine (already prepared) is, according to DEFRA, "undergoing rigorous quality control testing and we will update this page with more information by 20 June"
(*Update 2. We hear that a Belgian vet has heard of no such reports. He strongly urges everyone to vaccinate their stock. He says that the huge losses of livestock in Northern Europe mean that vaccination is definitely the best option.)

June 13 2008 ~ Farmers should always read the insert that comes with animal health products says Intervet Animal Health.

The Farmers Guardian quotes Alasdair King, veterinary manager for Intervet, following the concern (see below) that when flukicide and/or wormer was given at the same time as the bluetongue vaccine, the vaccine had to be re-administered. Mr King said very few products were licensed to be used together because of the massive workload involved in testing all possible combinations.
"....we know that flukicides have an effect on an animal's liver. As liver function is important in generating immunity, giving a flukicide at the same time as a vaccine could mean that the vaccine doesn't work as it should." In addition to reading the administration information, Mr King recommended discussing vaccination with a vet and planning ahead in order to adapt management plans. As well as information online at www.farmersguardian.com/bluetongue, meetings are also being staged around the country. .. "
Read the Farmers Guardian article in full.

June 13 2008 ~ OIE booklet on Bluetongue in Northern Europe

The scientific booklet describing Bluetongue is described as being " of great utility for veterinarians and animal health professionals in the framework of an early detection of Bluetongue and other emerging diseases." It can be ordered online from the OIE

June 12 2008 ~ "English colleagues show that it is very difficult to isolate infectious virus from these calves," says Van Rijn

Another interesting article by Mariska Vermaas in www.agd.nl quotes CIDC-Lelystad Department of Virology's Piet A. van Rijn, PhD:
"The fact that there no new infections have been found may be because the calves take in colostrum after birth and are this protected against bluetongue. How long this maternal protection lasts, we don't know yet. But it will certainly play a role in the transfer of the virus... The longer there are no new cases, the greater chance of success that the vaccination campaign can prevent the spread of the virus by blocking it. More and more animals are going to be fully protected by vaccination ..."
Optimism that the vaccination campaign has been put in place in time seems to be gaining ground in the Netherlands, as here. We continue to fear for Germany however - and of course it is essential that Northern Europe works together on its vaccine campaign.

June 12 2008 ~ consensus for the possible vertical and horizontal transmission of BTV during "vector-free period"

One expert comments on extracts from papers given at the symposium on Bluetongue in Brescia last week:
"... what the presentations say to me is that animals should not be moved from infected areas - not in the early winter even if the vector has become inactive. ...we are moving further and further away from using the vector-free period as a definitive risk-free measure.
It does put the EU in a bind because their main objective has been to keep trade routes open and to compel still uninfected Member States to keep their doors open to the continued movement of livestock. Is this the reason why some countries are beginning to mouth the words: "We are endemic"?.."

June 12 2008 ~ Welsh Assembly has today announced that they will allow the movement of animals from the English PZ direct to slaughter to designated slaughterhouses in the Welsh Free Area. See movement licence page.

Minor amendments have been made to current licences to reflect this. There is no news yet (midday) on the DEFRA site of the "further information" said to be "likely to be available by 12 June."

June 11 2008 ~ UK now has two suppliers and Merial is delighted with the order.

Merial's Head of Production Animal Business, Graham Davenport:
"We are delighted to have received this order from Defra and we will be working hard to ensure there is continuity of supply for farmers in England and Wales. All Merial's bluetongue vaccines, world-wide, start their life at our Pirbright Vaccines Centre in Surrey before being finished in Lyon, France. So it is particularly pleasing for us to have gained business here in the UK. This adds to previous bluetongue vaccine orders, beginning back in 2004, from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
We will start to deliver vaccine to England and Wales in July; in the meantime we will be putting in place the necessary veterinary technical support."
(Intervet were not being overlooked or passed over here. They were not in the tender at all, having a heavy commitment already and genuinely determined that promised doses should be delivered as soon as possible.)

June 11 2008 ~ 13 million more doses for England and Wales

Defra has today announced that it is placing an order with Merial to deliver 13 million doses of Bluetongue serotype 8 vaccine, eight million for use in England and five million for use in Wales. The batch of vaccine which was due in the week on 2 June is still undergoing further testing before it can be released. Please see the link provided for additional information. www.defra.gov.uk/news We hope for more news about expanding the Protection Zone some time tomorrow.
Farming UK quotes JAB (for JAB organisations see below)
"This is excellent news as it means we will now have sufficient vaccine to cover the whole of England. This will allow farmers to protect their own livestock against the devastating bluetongue disease. When we started the process of looking at vaccine supply we thought it would take most of this year to secure sufficient vaccine supplies. However, despite recent delays in vaccine release, the process has so far exceeded expectations and to be in a position of having sufficient vaccine for the whole of England by September is extremely good news."

June 11 2008 ~ flukicides and wormers.

The information about what you can and can't use with the vaccine is (as we say below) all on here: http://www.bluetongue-info.co.uk/FAQs.asp (Click on question 22 and it should give the information.) "Admittedly," says our correspondent, "they have not put it on those data sheets so I would presume it is up to the vet to clarify the position with other vaccines, but as you rightly say the information is not exactly well known. We can only hope that not too many people have made the same error."

June 11 2008 ~ Fuel strikes stop vaccination in Germany

We understand that owing to an indefinite strike of lorry drivers in France, Portugal and Spain, the next lot of BT vaccine for Germany can't be distributed. No one can say at the moment how long the delivery will be delayed - and there seem no plans afoot to use alternative means of transport. One frustrated farmer in Germany, well aware that in some cases politicians use plane travel for their private use, writes, "I am wondering why the Government doesn't send a plane, usually our Ministers are flying around the world wasting taxpayers' money....." For those who read German, see www.oberberg-aktuell.de

June 10 2008 ~ Agrarisch Dagblad on the rapid spread of BTV-8 compared to bluetongue in North America.

Mariska Vermass writing in the agrarisch Dagblad says "Scientists have however no idea what is the cause of this difference." 200 scientists at a meeting in Brescia in Italy have established that serotype 8 behaves in a significantly different way from other BT-types. It spreads faster and has other 'idiosyncrasies' like virus transfer from mother to the embryo. Many thanks to the European Livestock Association for the link.

June 8 2008 ~ Vaccine is in short supply. The vector free period is now over.

"The Dutch agriculture ministry has ordered a million extra units of bluetongue vaccine to meet overwhelming demand." Radio Netherlands reports that "More and more farmers are ordering the vaccine to protect their livestock. The ministry hopes that as many farmers as possible will have vaccinated their animals before mid July, when the virus is most likely to rear its head. ..."
Vaccine is in short supply. ProMed commented on June 1 that "the vector season seems to have already started in the continent." As we said on Feb 7, using only one vaccine producer has drawbacks. Batch failures can happen - which seems to be the case at the moment with the latest batch to the UK. It is essential to reach the percentage coverage necessary to halt the disease - but at present, as DEFRA says, it has become impossible "to expand the Protection Zone in line with our previous announcement on 23 May and the published vaccination roll-out plan..." .

June 7 2008 ~ 136 holdings now....

DEFRA says, "The most recent cases were found as a result of pre-movement testing during the vector-free period." And as an emailer says,
"Six more holdings since the last update, location unknown... Since February there are still 26 cases under investigation. How long does it take to confirm Bluetongue?"
DEFRA is also "continuing to work closely with Intervet on determining the availability of the next batches of vaccine and the impact that this will have on the roll-out of vaccination. As soon as further batches of vaccine are available, we will continue to expand the Protection Zone in line with our previous announcement on 23 May and the published vaccination roll-out plan. Further information is likely to be available by 12 June, and a further announcement will be made on the basis of that information." There is still, it seems, "an issue" with an individual batch of the Intervet vaccine "which requires further investigation".

June 6 2008~ "I'm not sure exactly who should have told me. "

The Farmers Guardian reports that some farmers who have vaccinated against bluetongue at the same time as using flukicides or wormers, are now going to have to re-vaccinate. An information sheet on Intervet's website www.bluetongue-info.co.uk/control/bovilis-btv8.asp confirms the vaccine 'has not been tested for safety or efficacy when used at the same time as any other products' but the advice that vaccination against bluetongue should not take place at the same time as the use of other vaccines, flukicides and injectable wormers cannot be seen (today at any rate) on the data sheet page. The FG quotes a sheep farmer in Appledore, Kent, after she discovered she would have to revaccinate."It is appalling that I wasn't told. I'm not sure exactly who should have told me but you can bet there will be other farmers out there who have made the same mistake." As we report below, Eblex has set up a website to help farmers with vaccination, offering 'how to' guides and a checklist. The relevant DEFRA page says " It is essential that the data sheet requirements with regard to storage temperature are strictly adhered to at all times" and one hopes that farmers do read the data page carefully - but there are no specific warnings on the DEFRA page about avoiding using other vaccines or wormers at the same time.

June 4 2008 ~ Germany opts for CZV of Spain to supply 14.8 million doses of BLUEVAC-8

Animal Health online: "This vaccine will be employed in a blanket vaccination campaign that will cover all 12.2 million cows and 3.7 million sheep and goats throughout Germany. BLUEVAC-8 is an inactivated vaccine against the serotype 8..." BLUEVAC-8 has also been delivered to the veterinary services of Spain where vaccination will start soon. (CZV is a European manufacturer of veterinary vaccines and immunological products with connections to Wellcome Foundation. Their products are used in over 40 countries. In addition to their BLUEVAC range of bluetongue vaccines, their most recent development is the vaccine SILIRUM, against Bovine Johne's Disease.)

June 3 2008 ~ DEFRA ".. the batch of vaccine which was due this week needs to undergo further testing before it can be released"

See DEFRA website : ".. This is an issue with an individual batch which requires further investigation....The extension of the Protection Zone which we were expecting to make, subject to the delivery of vaccine, will therefore no longer be going ahead this week (beginning 2 June). ....Further to the update on 30 May regarding the roll-out of vaccination into Cornwall and the Restricted Zone in Wales, the batch of vaccine which was due this week needs to undergo further testing before it can be released.... There are no concerns with the production process, or with vaccine that has been delivered to this date. ...As soon as further batches of vaccine are available, we will continue to expand the Protection Zone in line with the published vaccination roll-out plan. A further announcement will be made when more information is available."

June 3 2008 ~ Deer at a Kent woodland have been vaccinated

Kent online reports that a dart gun loaded with a vaccination was aimed on the herds of red, fallow and roe deer at the Wildwood conservation park in Herne Common, Herne Bay.
"...Head keeper Paul Wirdnam said: "We normally try to do this type of thing when the park is closed. But with so many animals we had to do the vaccination with members of the public watching, which once we explained what we were doing drew quite a crowd."

June 2 2008 ~ Vaccination against bluetongue is expected to begin today in in the current restricted zone in south-east Wales

The Welsh Assembly Government intends to declare a protection zone in the in the current restricted zone in south-east Wales. Under the present and unfortunate EU law, vaccination can only take place in a Protection Zone, and a protection zone can be designated only if bluetongue is found to be circulating in an area or if an area borders a protection zone. There are no plans to change the zoning of the rest of Wales yet.

June 2008 ~ FAQs - Intervet website

A guide on vaccinating. You click on the question to reveal the answer. Example:
3. Why is vaccine only available in the protection zone?
EU law states that vaccine can only be used in a PZ so Defra are only releasing vaccine for use in that area. However they will constantly expand the PZ as vaccine is used over the summer until all of England is covered.
http://www.bluetongue-info.co.uk/FAQs.asp (new window)

May 30 2008 ~"culls would take place at the centre of an outbreak" ???

The assumption appears to linger - in Northumberland at least - that infected animals are automatically killed. A Councillor is quoted in the Hexham Courant today warning that animals could be "trapped on farms",
"although culls would only take place at the centre of an outbreak..."
One can only hope that the misguided, ill-informed and battle inspired language of officialdom in 2001 is not resurfacing. Animals may be put down if their suffering is great but "culled" is entirely the wrong word - and the point of vaccinating is to avoid animals being infected or "trapped" in the first place. Isn't it "the responsibility of the county council's animal health team" to offer encouragement and support to farmers to vaccinate as soon as they can - rather than "to enforce any restrictions imposed by Defra" or "liaise with Defra and put a firm action plan in place"? The article also unfortunately seems to imply that bluetongue vaccination can start when the area is declared a surveillance zone - but the EU Directive explicitly prohibits this.*

May 30 2008 ~ Successful vaccination will protect stock and livelihoods

*Unfortunately, the ill-thought out EU rule of restricting vaccine to areas already infected - the "Protection Zone" - remains, and is one of the main reasons for the NBA petition. The very essence of a vaccination policy is to leave the virus nowhere to go and that means vaccinating all ruminants as far as is humanly possible. Restricting vaccination to areas where infection has already been found is like trying to catch a burglar in a house with all its doors and windows wide open.

May 30 2008 ~ What about camelids?

The Suffolk Free Press reports that about 100 alpacas have been vaccinated against Bluetongue at the Melford Green Alpaca Centre. Its owner is quoted: "We would encourage all other camelid owners to follow suit to ensure that we give the whole of the livestock sector every help we can to minimise the risks from this potentially debilitating virus."
The UK herd now stands at around 16,000 animals - but it is growing rapidly as alpacas are increasingly seen as a viable alternative farming enterprise and more people are keeping them as pets. Nick Blayney, President of the British Veterinary Society, one of the JAB organisations, said recently,
"Our aim has been to achieve the mass vaccination of Bluetongue susceptible animals, including goats and camelids and since the veterinary profession is the corner stone of the vaccination programme, with responsibility for vaccine delivery, proper usage and monitoring for efficacy, BVA has been in overdrive through much of March and April trying to ensure that vets were fully up to speed in advance of the arrival of the vaccine. Now that the vaccine is here, having been granted a provisional marketing authorisation for use inside Protection Zones and classified as a POM-V, we have further updated our advice to the profession. Our one-page summary sets out key considerations for vets including meeting the "under our care" prescribing requirements, movement controls, doses, off-label use, distribution and storage and communication in the hopefully unlikely event of any suspected adverse reactions."
The BVA one-page summary can be seen here (pdf)

May 27 2008 ~ EBLEX online 'how to' guide on Bluetongue vaccination for beef and sheep producers.

A three sided leaflet, a practical guide to bluetongue vaccination, has been produced by www.eblex.org.uk and can be downloaded and printed. (Pdf file here)

May 26 2008 ~ Current Protection Zone map

Warmwell.com is keeping pace with the changing shape of the zones. You can see the progression of maps, including the latest, (May 26 now updated) here. See also the declaration (PDF) that came into force today at 06:00am .

May 26 2008 ~ Wales will vaccinate in a week's time but supplies could be low

The Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, has announced that vaccination will begin in South-East Wales in a week's time, subject to the delivery of the vaccine and there being no "unforeseen developments" in the spread of the disease.
icWales quotes Gwilym Vaughan, president of the Farmers' Union of Wales:
"Around 7.5 million doses of the vaccine have so far been ordered. But I expect that double that number - around 15 million doses - will be required across Wales."
It does seem rather extraordinary that Wales asked initially for only 2.5 million doses of the 22.5 million tendered for by England back in December. At the time, Elin Jones had said," I am determined that we have resources available to us should they be required."
The amount of vaccine ordered has now been acknowledged to have been too little. 2.5 million could not have covered even the pedigree flocks of Wales, let alone the commercial ones and the cattle. On May 7, 13 million more was tendered for by DEFRA - and this included 5 million more for Wales. Even so, as Mr Vaughan says, there is unlikely to be enough vaccine to go round if an effective level of coverage is to be quickly achieved.

May 23 2008 ~ "from my point of view I have to congratulate the UK, the zones will be extended again and vaccine is available..."

DEFRA has announced that from May 26 the Protection Zone will be extended to cover all of Devon (including the Unitary Authorities of Plymouth and Torbay). The Surveillance Zone is unaffected. On current plans, (which are subject to the overall disease situation), the Protection Zone will be further extended in the week beginning 2 June when Cornwall, the East Riding of Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the District of Selby, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire (including the Unitary Authority of South Gloucestershire) to all to be brought into the Protection Zone. The Welsh Assembly Government will also declare the current Restricted Zone in Wales a Protection Zone. See DEFRA website
An email from Germany says,
"We haven't seen any vaccine yet in our region; first delivery for sheep is planned for May 30th and for cattle at the end of JUNE. Second vaccination (cattle) is planned for the end of July. For certain regions (lower Rhine valley) it has already been leaked that not enough vaccine has been ordered.... The "competent" authorities are not competent at all."
We agree. The UK situation is being well handled at the moment for which much thanks must go to the Joint Campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB) group and to those with common sense who are helping to advise DEFRA.

May 23 2008 ~ New Chief Vet

A new Chief Vet has taken up the post. MeatInfo.co.uk informed readers yesterday that "Nigel Gibbens has been appointed the new chief veterinary officer (CVO) by Defra...." The MeatInfo site quotes Mr Gibbens: "...... The Government will increasingly develop policy on disease control in partnership with key stakeholders and I am committed to ensuring that those decisions are founded on the best possible veterinary advice."
The news appeared on the DEFRA website with a short biographical note yesterday.
We wish Mr Gibbens the best of success with the job. All the same, one cannot help remembering the comment below from Professor Joe Brownlie in a recent Farmers Guardian article: "The powers of the chief veterinary officer have diminished so severely in the face of a high level of accountability that the position no longer holds its previous lure..."
Nigel Gibbens was born in 1958. His latest published work includes papers on BSE (see lib.bioinfo.pl) (More)

May 22 2008 ~ "Bovilis® BTV8 The data below is specific to the United Kingdom..."

The Intervet website on Bluetongue has a page devoted to its vaccine. Extract from data page: "Bovilis® BTV8 is an inactivated vaccine containing per dose (1 ml) at least 500 Antigenic Units/ml of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 8 prior to inactivation. Aluminium hydroxide and Saponin are included as adjuvants.
Uses
To stimulate active immunity against Bluetongue Virus Serotype 8 in cattle and sheep to reduce viraemia.
Onset of immunity: 3 weeks after vaccination.
Duration of immunity: Not yet established." Read in full (new window)

May 19 2008 ~ Bluetongue Protection Zone was extended again at six o'clock this morning

following the delivery of an additional three million doses of Bluetongue vaccine. See current zone map page

May 19 2008 ~ 12 per cent cut back in Defra funding affects vital animal health work in Mid Wales.

Mick Bates is quoted in the Farmers Guardian saying that he has written to Hilary Benn to point out that the cuts seriously compromise animal health work:
"In light of the recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth and further outbreaks of bluetongue and avian flu being anticipated, this is clearly a key area which must be safeguarded. A 12 per cent cut has resulted in a loss of some 335,000 to the Powys local authority for 2007-08 and the Trading Standards Service has also received confirmation that the level of funding for animal health work in 2008-09 will be the same as that provided for the current financial year." Read in full
The unnecessary killing of the dairy herds (see opposite page) because of a TB test known to be far too blunt an instrument cost about £100,000. The lost funding that will cause such problems for those responsible for animal health in Mid Wales amounts to about £35,000

May 18 2008 ~ "Vaccination of animals kept for breeding will reduce the chance of infected calves during the following season"

We are most grateful for the translations of the agrarische Dagblad article below that have been sent to warmwell.com. As one emailer remarks, "....the part of the story with the antibodies and newly born calves being a source of infection beats me. If the antibodies clear the virus, where does the infectivity come from ? Does this indicate that maternal antibodies can prevent overt clinical signs but are not strong enough to prevent virus replication? I really would like to know, maybe Ruth (Watkins) has an idea."
Also, a much respected expert adds, "Warmwell's translation is OK. Agrarisch Dagblad added the obvious - namely that 34 calves are 15% and that the calves were infected during pregnancy. They add that vaccination of cows (before?) breeding could diminish the risk of inefected-calves born during the next season." The translations sent to us can be read here. Very many thanks to those who took so much trouble. It is very much appreciated.

May 17 2008 ~ Unborn calves can be infected with bluetongue from the mother-cow - says agrarisch Dagblad

The article in today's agrarisch Dagblad (in Dutch) discusses research at the central veterinary institute (CVI) and the health service for animals (GD) which took place after pregnant cows, exported to Northern Ireland, (see below) gave birth to calves born with bluetongue. Our unchecked translation (help would be most appreciated) seems to suggest that in the course of the research, calves born to 400 cow after 1 January in the midge-free periods were examined. 221 of the cows had antibodies against bluetongue. 34 calves were found to have the virus. A clear translation would be most appreciated. UPDATE Several translations were immediately sent - for which many thanks.

May 17 2008 ~ It is likely that the current restricted zone in south east Wales could be declared a Protection Zone within weeks.

This is the view of Gareth Vaughan, president of the Farmers Union of Wales and reported in Farming Weekly. The article says that vaccination in Wales is likely to start within weeks. "The warning came following a meeting between key industry stakeholders and Christianne Glossop, the chief veterinary officer for Wales. It was suggested that too many farmers appeared to be sitting back waiting for the first case to appear to register with their vets for vaccine..." The disease-free status of farms in the rest of Wales would change if an actual case of bluetongue be confirmed within or near the border and farmers who have not registered with a vet for vaccine would risk being left out. Mr Vaughan said. "Those within the current restricted zone may only have a very short time to do this before vaccination starts," he said.

May 16 2008 ~ " a real chance of holding the disease in the Eastern counties" - provided there is blanket vaccination

The Farmers Guardian today reports on what was said at the Reaseheath meeting in Cheshire, organised by the Nantwich Veterinary Groups' Neil Howie, with support from and Intervet and Boehringer Animal Health:
"...European farmers ...expecting another devastating year.....as some of the repercussions of last year's wildfire spread of bluetongue, such as abortions, defective progeny and continuing reduced performance, became apparent. ....
Independent sheep consultant Chris Lewis believed there was a real chance of holding the disease in the Eastern counties, where it had been identified, provided each of the 127 infected premises vaccinated rapidly along with blanket vaccination on farms in the area, and ultimately a minimum 80-85 per cent uptake of vaccination throughout the whole Protection Zone. However, the window of opportunity for holding the disease at bay had come about more by circumstance than pro-active management by Defra...."The veterinary profession has argued unsuccessfully to get Defra to seek a derogation allowing the UK to create a 'Vaccination Zone' before it became a Protection Zone, so giving immunity chance to develop. Therefore, there remains a potential risk of the disease getting ahead of the vaccination programme.."
Read article

May 16 2008 ~ "success depends on vaccine supply and speed of applying it..."

The Reuters report, Bluetongue animal vaccination starts in most of EU says, "..... Some countries, like Belgium, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic, have made their entire national territories subject to compulsory vaccination for certain animal categories.....In heavily infected areas, the situation will be better than last year as most of the adult population was infected last year and is better protected now," the official said, adding that newborn animals were still at risk if not vaccinated quickly. ...
..... some crossover, especially in France, and this has worried many experts. "There are problems in France with serotype 1 ... ...areas are crossing and they don't have much vaccine. Britain is about the only country with enough vaccine...It's all about timing ... and there are still a lot of animals out there that won't have had the disease last year." Read article

May 16 2008 ~ "a logistical nightmare to get them back in, in batches, to vaccinate cows and their calves when these are at the "right" age"

A farmer highly relieved to have vaccinated 180 sheep on the 14th May (having taken delivery of the vaccine from the vet on Tuesday 6th May) writes,
"Although I feel relieved that my sheep are now protected and the danger to our livestock is receding, at least in my area l know of some livestock keepers who will not vaccinate - their cattle are out on rented grazing and it is for these people a logistical nightmare to get them back in, in batches, to vaccinate cows and their calves when these are at the "right" age. Let's hope these are isolated cases."
Even so, a sense of relief and optimism is becoming more evident. On the subject of the logistics of vaccination for that particular farmer correspondent we read: "The whole operation went smoothly and the Intervet injector gun works extremely well - sadly only on the 50ml bottles. The rest had to be done by using individual syringes and being meticulous with the dosing..... My usual sources tell me that the Protection zone will shift outwards quite quickly now - as the following batches arrive DEFRA will extend the zone. Given the cold March and April I personally do not think that an outbreak of Bluetongue is imminent and it is worth remembering that the Netherlands and Belgium announced the end of the vector free season only on April 22nd"

May 16 2008 ~ DEFRA reports the PZ will be extended again on Monday

DEFRA website: ".....the Protection Zone will be extended to cover all of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire and Somerset. The Surveillance Zone is unaffected. Livestock keepers in the Protection Zone should contact their private vet to place an order. The message is clear "Don't hesitate, vaccinate". Livestock keepers may apply to have land which they occupy within 8km of the Bluetongue Surveillance Zone to be designated as part of that zone. Further information..."

May 14 2008 ~ Record lamb prices at Shrewsbury. Can vaccination save UK farming?

According to Farming Today, there were record lamb prices for the stock at Shrewsbury yesterday. "This is due to Bluetongue", writes a farming correspondent to warmwell. "The continental buyers are in the UK because of shortages at home, because of Bluetongue." He writes, "If we can vaccinate ours in time and salvage our industry..... Yes, Alan Beat is correct to say they had no alternative to vaccinate, it's just that we pushed for it to happen sooner, quicker and bigger than DEFRA et al would have managed without Stakeholder 'support'..."

May 13 2008 ~ Appeal for bluetongue protection zone status 'as soon as possible' in Wales

icWales quotes the Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones
"Under current EU regulations, we have to wait for the English protection zone to reach the Welsh border before a protection zone can be declared in Wales.... I am seeking DEFRA's co-operation in ensuring that the protection zone reaches Wales as early as possible in the summer to allow vaccination to begin in Wales...."
Dai Davies, NFU Cymru president is also quoted: "NFU Cymru has been pressing the minister for some time to tender for a further supply of vaccine which would add to the initial 2.5 million doses which had been secured for Wales. "The requisition of a further five million doses increases the total available to Wales to 7.5 million and will put us in good stead for rolling out the vaccination strategy in Wales once we are permitted to use it. I urge those farmers who have not yet registered to reserve bluetongue vaccine with their local veterinary practice to do so immediately so as to ensure they are not left at the back of the queue. Farmers should not procrastinate but they should be prepared to vaccinate."

May 11 2008 ~ "In the absence of any response from The Scotsman.."

On May 2 Dan Buglass in the Scotsman implied that farmers in Scotland support the wait-and-see policy on vaccination. The National Beef Association of Scotland wrote to the paper to point out inaccuracies - as Dr James Irvine on land-care.org.uk writes today:
"... on May 4th in which it attempted to put the record straight. In the absence of any response from The Scotsman, NBAS was informed that its letter had not been passed on to the appropriate editors. The letter was then resubmitted to the Scotsman on May 6th..."
There has still been no response. The Scottish order for 12 million doses is not due to be completed until late June (the exact delivery date not known) - but there is little evidence that the risk of bluetongue reaching Scotland before then is low. In essence, the NBAS letter points out that considerations of EU trade have overriden the humans and veterinary good sense of protecting Scottish livestock and its farmers. The letter concludes the subject should not be not used by certain members of the farming community " to score points against others within that community who are trying their best to remedy the basic flaw in how viral diseases of livestock are controlled through inappropriate EC regulation".

May 10 ~ Report of the National Emergency Epidemiology Group 18 April 2008 [Revised 30 April]

The epidemiological report can be read here in full, is clearly written and has particularly useful graphs and maps. All the same, it does not pretend to be a wholly complete report.
Report (pdf) extract:
"....The statements in this report are based on the best available evidence. It is important to note that this evidence is far from complete for a full epidemiological analysis, and that much of the data used was collected for purposes other than this analysis.... suggests that BTV at a level greater than an individual animal is contained within PZ1 .....indicates that level of BTV in PZ2 is substantially different from PZ1, and that BTV is not widespread in PZ2.... evidence also indicates uncertainty around the precise extent of herd level infection (here defined as more than 1 animal on a holding affected) beyond the current western and northern boundaries of PZ1. If such infection exists it could provide a focus for recrudescence of BTV in 2008.
78. Note that the evidence available was not collected for the purposes of this analysis and in consequence a number of important assumptions, and estimates to replace missing data have been made. These add to the uncertainty over the extent of BTV in GB."
Full report (pdf)

May 9 ~ Declaration and changes to the Zones come into force on the 12 May 2008 at 06:00.

The new map can be seen on our zonemap page (new window) The whole declaration pdf is on the DEFRA website here "... The Protection Zones will be merged by extending the zones into all of Hampshire and West Sussex. The Protection Zone will also be extended into all of Lincolnshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The Surveillance Zone is unaffected. A further 1 million doses of vaccine, available in 50 dose bottles, are available for use in the Protection Zone today. Livestock keepers in the areas coming into the Protection Zone on Monday will be able to obtain vaccine from that date..."
At Tuesday's Bluetongue stakeholder meeting
"...The Commission had not yet indicated any intention to allow vaccination outside a PZ, although it was thinking about the issues. Defra and the Core Group were both confident that the roll-out strategy enabled the risks of expanding the PZ to be properly mitigated, as vaccine would be released into each expansion of the PZ."
It was unfortunate that there were technical problems with the telephone conferencing equipment, which meant dial-in attendees were unable to participate.

May 9 ~ The Netherlands: No Dutch vet = No Dutch vaccines

Bureaucracy and animal health don't mix - and not just in the UK. Today in Agrarisch Dagblad we read with great concern that farmers in the regions bordering Germany and Belgium with a non-Dutch vet cannot apply for vaccination. These borders farmers will have to wait for the German and/or Belgian campaign. According to a spokesman from the Dutch Ministry, this had been known from the start. Farmers in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen particularly, often have a Belgian vet. When these farmers vaccinate with 'foreign' vaccines they will still be able to apply for financial compensation in the Netherlands,- but only if they fill out the necessary registration forms - and only once the vaccination campaigns in the countries with which they share a border have begun their own campaigns.
UPDATE In the Netherlands the first suspected case of BTV in 2008 is under investigation. A sheep in Welsum showed clinical signs consistent with Bluetongue infection and has been euthanized. Blood samples have been taken and laboratory confirmation is awaited http://olst-wijhe.nieuws.nl/773929/Verdachte_gevallen_van_blauwtong_dienen_zich_al_weer_aan

May 9 ~ Sheep farmers not impressed by odd advice to delay vaccination in sheep

In answer to the somewhat odd advice given by Piet Vellema of the privatised Dutch Animal Health Service (as mentioned below) farmers in Holland are not impressed. They are quoted:
"We will vaccinate as soon as we can. We don't want a repetition of last year. If necessary we will vaccinate in autumn again at our own costs, it will cost less than a new outbreak."
(See Ag Dagblad Schapenhouders wachten niet bewust met vaccinatie) We hear that Piet Vellema later said that he had been wrongly quoted . He had meant, apparently, that now that we have enough vaccines in May those with sheep should not have to fight over vaccine now, they can vaccinate in June as well. This is not how the advice came across and it must have alarmed many.

May 8/9 2008 ~ Are we in danger of forgetting that the reason to vaccinate is to prevent BTV 8 infection, to prevent BTV 8 from spreading further?

The question of young stock and the advisability of getting them all vaccinated is a serious question which evidently needs to be resolved. We hear that one vet was reportedly so confused that he insisted on vaccinating a cow proven to have already had a BTV infection and illness. Totally unnecessary. The antigen will have no effect on her, and the owner can only hope she will not now get an abscess from the adjuvants (she may still be immuno-suppressed). But the same vet insisted on not vaccinating any calf below one month of age because of the lack of "permission" to do so. Are the young under one month not to be vaccinated by law? In the case of sheep this will mean thousands of susceptible lambs When, then, may one to do all the unvaccinated lambs, and identify them? As one farmer writes,
" All mine have one ear tag though some have lost it already and it would take hours to go through them individually, weekly? Am I to wait until the last lamb is one month old before I do my lambs? One normally divides them into groups of twins singles or triplets etc not on the basis of age. However I won't be allowed to vaccinate until this part of Wales is declared a protection zone."
Yet Northern Europe knows to its cost that anti-midge treatments don't work and the only option against BTV 8 is as near 100% vaccination as is possible.
Dr Ruth Watkins (below) has written authoritatively about all this. Knowledgeable farmers at least are choosing to go ahead and vaccinate their very young animals. It is heartening to hear that one livestock editor has vaccinated all his lambs - some down to 2 days of age - without ill effect.

May 8/9 2008 ~Defra has today announced that the Bluetongue Protection Zones will be extended and merged on Monday 12 May

following the delivery of additional doses of Bluetongue vaccine. An epidemiology report on the distribution of Bluetongue infection in Great Britain has also been published. Both the news release and the report are available on the Defra website at: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases .

May 8 2008 ~ "not all farmers have ordered the BTV vaccine, especially those with large herds and conservation grazing and without access to mobile crushes"

The farmer and virologist, Ruth Watkins, is concerned that vaccination levels of 80% are most unlikely to be reached this year.
"... You can see if they do get round to vaccinating the adults they may not get round to vaccinating the calves at a later date, or wait to vaccinate the whole herd at a later date.
Most kids and lambs are born in Spring so they will be of age now to vaccinate. Cattle not only calve in the Spring, but also during the Summer and autumn. In fact even in my sister's herd 20% of animals will remain non-immune this Summer because of the delay in vaccination of calves. In addition to the non-vaccinated calves and herds and flocks are the wild ruminants, the deer, of which there are countless in much of rural England. They graze in my sister's garden and in the fields..."
As Dr Watkins wrote previously, Dr Chris Oura (Pirbright) confirmed that the reason for the 'under one month of age' exclusion was because it is probable the vaccine has not been tested under one month of age - and he confirmed too that the animals could be expected to respond well to vaccine from birth. He shared Dr Watkins' concern that almost all young animals would get no protective antibody against BTV-8 in their colostrum in the UK this year. (More)

May 8 2008 ~" the Dutch vet can have no grounds to claim the protection is so short that it should only be used in July to cover the next 4 months."

(See reference to Dutch story below) Dr Watkins writes today: "I spoke with Alasdair King of Intervet ... He confirms that the bovilis 8 vaccine has not been trialled on lambs or calves less than one month of age- and that before use on these young animals the vet can (and they do) ring Intervet and discuss the use of the vaccine, as with other ruminant species.
There are two adjuvants in the vaccine, one mild that is used in humans aluminium hydroxide, and the other less mild a saponin called quil A; the latter is not used in human vaccines. The adjuvants are there to provoke a stronger immune response to the antigen than giving the antigen alone.
The immune response to bovilis 8 has been tested to see if it is protective by animal challenge experiments. The correlation of antibody titres and neutralisation antibodies measured in vitro has not been done with the protective immune response as yet for BTV so that is why the challenge experiments must be done to prove vaccine efficacy. The level of antibody in vaccinees that can be measured is high - which suggests the vaccine does indeed perform as would be expected, giving protection for a period such as one year. Thus Intervet can rightly claim it should be used similarly to other killed vaccines. The Dutch vet can have no grounds to claim the protection is so short that it should only be used in July to cover the next 4 months."

May 7 2008 ~ "we will expand the Protection Zones as soon as that vaccine is available.."

"Defra has today issued a tender for 13 million additional doses of Bluetongue vaccine, eight million for use in England and five million for use in Wales. ..... Initial indications would suggest a high response to the early availability of vaccine and that take-up of vaccine is high. Further batches of vaccine are being delivered by Intervet, and we will expand the Protection Zones accordingly as soon as that vaccine is available." DEFRA website. Hilary Benn said: "I am pleased with the very high demand for vaccine in the first week of vaccination. The farming industry faces a real threat from Bluetongue. The best way for farmers to protect their animals and their pockets is to vaccinate all susceptible animals. "By underwriting a further order for vaccine, I am giving farmers across the whole of England the clearest signal that there will be vaccine available as we roll out the vaccination campaign county by county. I want the whole industry to engage with this over the weeks and months ahead".

May 7/8 2008 ~ Vaccination of sheep now in May would cover them for the rest of the season, says Dr Ruth Watkins

An article in agrarisch Dagblad (thanks again to the journalist, Ruud Peys, for the link) today reports that Piet Vellema of the privatised Dutch animal health service (GD) suggests that it may be better to delay vaccination of sheep until June or July because it is not yet known for how long immunity following vaccination will last. Intervet does not choose to comment on the length of immunity. Paul van Aarle says, "We know that the vaccine works" - and the virologist, Eugene van Rooij, of the Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen University does not subscribe to the recommendation of the GD for delay.
A warmwell correspondent in Holland suggests that since such an expert from Wageningen University has already rejected Piet Vellema's advice one need not take it too seriously.
As for Dr Ruth Watkins, she is in no doubt either. She says,
"As there will be a 3 week period before the peak response to the vaccine when immunity is at its greatest, vaccination now is certainly the most prudent (immunity by July - the month when clinical cases started to emerge in large numbers in 2007). .."
She adds that vaccination of sheep could be done again in the midge down time to ensure immunity next season 2009, even if that is only 6 months after the first dose / course in sheep . Read email.

May 7 2008 ~" It remains to see if vaccination, restricted to PZ's, will contribute to the prevention of BTV-8 spreading to the other regions .." ProMed

Massive vaccination of cattle began in north eastern France on Friday 25 April, five days before our own. On the 2nd May, and with his customary tact, the ProMed moderator, AS, wrote : "The long-due BTV-8 vaccination is expected to commence soon also in other severely affected European countries, such as Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg, where it is planned to cover their entire territories, declared as Protection Zones (PZ).
The situation in other countries, such as the UK, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, and Spain is different, since only parts of their territories have been declared PZ's where the vaccination is allowed.
It remains to see if vaccination, restricted to PZ's, will contribute to the prevention of BTV-8 spreading to the other regions with susceptible livestock."
For "The hows and whys of vaccination," go to http://www.nfuonline.com/x27181.xml . "It will be useful to obtain detailed information on the safety and efficacy tests, which the released inactivated BTV-8 vaccine has undergone. "

May 5 2008 ~ "young animals can be expected to respond well to vaccine from birth"

Dr Ruth Watkins writes that since almost all young animals in the UK this year will get no protective antibody against BTV-8 in the colostrum from their mothers, they will be fully susceptible to BTV-8 infection. It is essential that all the animals on a farm, however young, are rendered immune by vaccination. Extract from her email:
"....I feel the DEFRA recommendation of not vaccinating animals less than one month old is ill thought through and irresponsible with regard to disease control. ... One might think DEFRA has said this because the very young cannot respond to killed vaccine but that is not the case. ... There is no reason to suppose the vaccine is toxic to the very young of the species..."
Farmers should go ahead and vaccinate these young animals as the vaccine can be expected to work and they need to ensure near enough to 100% immunity to BTV-8 in their flocks and herds. Dr Watkins' email should be read in full - and as widely as possible. Her advice about camelids, goats and deer is important too.

May 3/4 2008 ~ British Veterinary Association (BVA) website's key considerations for veterinary surgeons

This is a pdf file "A clear line of communication with farming clients is vital to report any suspected lack of efficacy or other suspected adverse reactions" Extract:
The veterinary profession is the corner stone of the bluetongue vaccination programme with responsibility for vaccine delivery, proper usage, and monitoring for efficacy. .... you should
• satisfy yourself that your clients are competent to administer vaccine, if appropriate;
• arrange any necessary visit(s) to check the livestock and premises in order to satisfy the condition "under our care";
• ensure correct numbers of doses for numbers of stock.
  Livestock keepers are allowed to administer the vaccine to their animals. However, if the animals are vaccinated in order to be moved out of a Protection Zone for the purposes of domestic or intra-community trade, then a level of certification will be required.
  Off-label use
  If used in other ruminant species it should be administered under the cascade system under the direct responsibility of a veterinary surgeon. There will be no withdrawal periods if the vaccine is used in goats.
  This vaccine has not previously been used in the field. ..."
  Read in full

May 3 2008 ~ Vaccine guns cannot deliver 1 ml dose from the 20ml vaccine bottles

It seems to have been an unfortunate oversight that, as Jack Davies in the Farmers Guardian points out today, tests have found the vaccine guns "incompatible with the smaller bottles as they are unable to draw up the full 1ml dose." The first million doses to arrive in the UK are all in 20ml bottles. The FG comments: "The guns had been ordered in to help farmers as the vaccine is currently the only 1ml dose on the market and most guns currently deliver a minimum of 2ml."
UPDATE One farmer from the US emailed: "So who needs some gun to vaccinate? I do it all the time with a 50 cent plastic disposable syringe that can be disinfected, and a new needle."

May 2 2008 ~ "... wait-and-see policy favoured by farmers is fully supported by the Scottish government."

The Scotsman's Dan Buglass today implies that "farmers" do support the wait-and-see policy - but the Scottish National Beef Association (NBA) has strongly argued that Scotland wants vaccination to start in early summer - a position demonstrated by the petition now on its own website to the European Commission asking for a change in the rules so that vaccination against Bluetongue virus should be permitted " without the consequences of that area being designated a Protection Zone".
The president of the Scottish Beef Cattle Association (SBCA) is quoted in the Scotsman, saying with more apparent irritation than clarity that the NBA thinking is "clearly driven by sources south of the Border" and that "There is sufficient flexibility in the timing of the Scottish proposals to allow for changing developments in the south, should they arise." All this starkly illustrates the problem caused by trade rules. As with foot and mouth, the modern boon of vaccination is discounted by many of the big players. If they reject vaccination, they sacrifice their animals' health in order to avoid the sacrifice of trade and profits demanded by EU protectionism.
The Scotsman points out that if and when the Scots do vaccinate, it will at least be a compulsory scheme and that 50 per cent of the cost will be met - but the present situation leaves anxious Scottish farmers with the threat of a fine of up to £5,000, or even jail if they acquire vaccine to protect their own animals. BTV8 is a virus that has spread relentlessly since 2006 and it is touch and go whether the vaccine, whose production was delayed by the hesitation of European States precisely because of the trade rules problem, can now be used fast enough to combat it.

May 1 2008 ~ "one of the positives to come out of FMD 2001 ....a 'progressive', intelligent and humane response"

UPDATE on the comment below. We have just received an email from a stakeholder very ready to defend DEFRA and applaud the Department for its contribution to the present BTv vaccination policy:
"I have just been talking to our vet, here completing a TB test this morning... We concluded that one of the positives to come out of FMD 2001 was that a group has evolved, 'battle- hardened' really, that has come together to quickly shape this appropriate response to Bluetongue. Yes, we are vaccinating into an unknown - how long viraemic calves may remain infectious for example - but have chosen a 'progressive', intelligent and humane response, and done so quickly.
I know some people regard DEFRA Stakeholder meetings as a feel-good outing for numpties but I beg to differ - I feel that they have been integral to this response, and that in turn this will inform our next FMD response."
Yes. It is good to be reminded that there are those working within DEFRA and in conjunction with the Department who have, for years now, been doggedly working towards a more humane and modern approach to animal disease control - and we are most grateful for this email (as indeed we are for all emails) UPDATE There have been other comments about this, chief of which this email from the smallholder guru, Alan Beat.

May 1 2008 ~ Peter Kendall launches the national campaign "Don't hesitate, vaccinate" from a Norfolk farm today

The president of the National Farmers' Union has been invited by Tim Cane, estate manager of Crown Point Farms, to watch the first batch of dairy cattle being vaccinated today. EDP24
"...The BTV8 vaccine, which protects all ruminant animals against the midge-borne virus, is now available for the 2.2m susceptible animals in the protection zone which includes all of East Anglia. .... Mr Cane is the chairman of the Norwich and Loddon branch of the NFU and runs the Bixley herd of pedigree Holstein dairy cattle for the Colman family on the edge of Norwich.... David Hallas, who is general manager of Intervet UK, manufacturer of the Bluetongue vaccine, will be joined by Steve Trickey, veterinary surgeon, of the Chapelfield Veterinary Partnership and the BCVA (British Cattle Veterinary Association)."
Good news - all the same, when one remembers the refusal to contemplate vaccination against foot and mouth (vaccines have been effective for decades) one cannot help but agree with this email, just received from a veterinary and animal health researcher:
"Mary, I couldn't help smile, but with sadness too, when I read the posting today - all the fanfare for this wonderful thing called vaccination - they have all been a bit slow to stumble across this marvellous invention (how now can they decry it for FMD in all honesty?) "

Thursday May 1 2008 ~ Vaccination should begin today in the protection zone

As reported below, the first batch of vaccines have arrived ahead of schedule and are ready for distribution The Farmers Guardian comments that the first batch of 1m doses of vaccine, available only in 20ml bottles, should be delievered to the first vets early this morning. "The second batch of vaccine, 2m doses available in 50ml bottles is expected to be released to vets within a few days." The FG videos about bluetongue control can be viewed here (new window)
In the Netherlands, vaccination is scheduled to begin next Thursday, 8th May.

Wednesday April 30 2008 ~ Postcard campaign well under way in the South East

30,000 postcards are being distributed throughout the south east as part of the National Farmers Union's Don't Hesitate -Vaccinate! campaign. . Posters have also been put up where farmers and livestock owners are likely to see them. (source) In early April the BBC reported that "Researchers who studied midges' lifecycles to predict when farms are at risk have said animals in Kent will be the first to be at risk from 21 April."

Tuesday April 29 2008 ~ Intervet has released the first batch of Bluetongue BTV8 vaccine for Northern Europe.

Intervet, now "Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health" has announced on the Intervet website the news that the company ".... has now released the first batch of bluetongue vaccine for sheep and cattle, Bovilis BTV8, fulfilling firm orders received from a number of countries within Europe. Stolp: "We put great effort into the development of our safe and efficacious Bovilis BTV8 vaccine to meet the urgent need as quickly as possible and we are pleased that production is on track, so that we are able to deliver the first amounts of vaccine before the actual start of the "midge season". Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has developed the Bovilis BTV8 vaccine in a very short period of time. It has been two years since the emergence of the virus in Northern Europe in 2006. The company supplies Bovilis BTV8 vaccine to a number of European countries. At this moment the supply is in balance with the confirmed orders and undecided tender applications..."

Tuesday April 29 2008 ~ Farmers Guardian Bluetongue Q and A page

The FG expert panel comprises Alick Simmons, deputy chief veterinary officer; Alasdair King, livestock veterinary manager, Intervet; Jules Dare, Westpoint Veterinary Group; Prof Philip Mellor, Institute of Animal Health; Dr Chris Oura, Institute of Animal Health; The page covers many questions to which the average livestock owner would want answers

Friday 25th April ~ "vaccine could begin arriving at wholesalers next week in readiness for distribution"

See Farmers Weekly today: "The release could be in the nick of time. Vets in Belgium and the Netherlands have reported that large numbers of the bluetongue carrying midge, cullicoides (sic), have become active in the past few days. Farmers have been warned to watch for symptoms and urged to vaccinate stock. In the UK the earliest date predicted for DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn to approve the vaccine release, by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, is Friday (25 April). "Once the vaccine arrives ....It would work best if the vet then calls the farmer client. Otherwise there could be chaos if 20 or 30 farmers start ringing vets to see if the vaccine has arrived."

25 April ~ "Registering for vaccination with your vet must become a top priority. Do it today. There is huge urgency."

An article by Caroline Cranbrook in the East Anglian Daily Times on April 19th has already had its effect, we hear. ("I was talking to a farming friend this morning. I asked him whether he had read the article and he said yes he had and that as the result he had registered with his vet...")
Warmwell is very glad to publish the article in full. Extract:
" In the first year the symptoms are mild .... In subsequent years both the severity and extent of the disease hugely increase .. In parts of Europe, the lamb crop is down by about 30%. In the Moselle region of France about 20% of cattle herds are affected...The death rate has risen substantially (20-70% is reported in Europe) and there are twice as many abortions.... Vaccination is the only hope of preventing the disease from spreading in a similar way in Britain and ruining the livestock industry....
In the next few weeks we have a unique and perhaps final opportunity to prevent this catastrophic disease from becoming endemic in Britain. For this reason it is essential that everyone who owns cattle, sheep, goats, farmed deer or camelids should contact their vet immediately and ask to be put on the list for vaccine. .."
Read in full - (It can be copied or printed out from this new window and be passed on.)

Friday 25th April ~ How to vaccinate. Videos on Farmers Weekly site

Videos and pictures about the disease and questions and answers about vaccination can all be seen on this page of Farmers Weekly online.

Friday 25th April ~ "We have no plans to hold discussions with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe to discuss DEFRA's vaccination plan."

..was Jonathan Shaw's curt reply to the Parliamentary Question posed by David Drew Hansard Is the UK still smarting under the European Veterinarians' comments about the UK plans when they said, "Irrespective of the disease outbreaks the UK has faced over recent years, it continues to cut budgets and to reduce its Animal Health Services...." One remembers too Fred Landeg's response, calling it 'both inaccurate and deeply offensive'.

Thursday 24 April ~ Realisation dawns...not enough vaccine

DEFRA is set to order another 8 million doses. As for Wales, the report on www.dailypost.co.uk says : "Cardiff is now talking to the livestock industry and others before sanctioning a follow-up order" ( i.e. of an extra 3 million doses. )
Elin Jones is apparently saying " we must wait for the English protection zone to reach the Welsh border before a protection zone can be declared in Wales" and - a remark that also leaves one gasping for air..."I have sought Defra's co-operation in ensuring that the protection zone reaches Wales as early as possible in the summer to allow vaccination to begin in Wales." As one informed ex-vet who writes on the Farmtalking forum remarks, "Why on earth the relevant authorities don't immediately declare the whole of the UK a protection zone is beyond me."

Thursday 24 April ~ Farmers Guardian will be interviewing some of the key players

"From the deputy chief vet to vaccine manufacturer Intervet, we will be putting your questions to the key decision makers - be it about the disease, the vaccine, or the strategy for controlling and eventually, eradicating the disease. If you have a question you want to put to the experts email jdavies@cmpi.biz or call 02079218485

Monday 21st April ~ Draft European Commission regulation modifying movement rules now approved.

Under temporary new rules that will apply until 31 December 2008, Member States can request (following EU approval) that animals from restricted zones do not move into BTV-free areas unless they are either vaccinated or shown to be naturally immune. Confirmation of the existence of antibodies by means of a second serological test seven days before movement is to provide reassurance that such animals are immune and safely moved. Calves too young to be vaccinated (under 90 days) can be moved without vaccination, provided that they are kept strictly away from midges. (Source of information www.agriculture-news.eu )

Sunday 20th April ~ "DEFRA ... will have no way of knowing what percentage of animals in an area or on a holding are vaccinated"

A cri-de coeur from the blog of Devon Fine Fibres, producer of cashmere and mohair from sheep and goats, ".....It's times like this when I wish I lived in Scotland where the scheme is to be compulsory. Vaccinate or face 3 months in jail or a £5000 fine!" And from the blog of Locks Park Farm (sheep and beef cattle) in Devon, the farmer of 30 years experience describes how a Bluetongue meeting was shocked by the warnings of a Dutch vet - and highly impressed by the knowledge of the Pirbright vet, Karin Darple, who has been travelling around the south of England, giving presentations:
"....it was superb... She had very practical advice on how to cope with the disease, whether and when insecticides would be appropriate, housing versus the outdoors and much, much, more.
Karin would like to see 100% take up of the vaccine as soon as it hits the shelves, but EU legislation prevents this!" (NB. Please remember to sign the NBA petition about this, now on their own website.)"Vaccine can only be given in Protection Zones where the disease has already struck, not in the surrounding Surveillance Zones. Karin couldn't stress enough that speed is of the essence: to stand a chance of avoiding the devastating effects of the disease we must vaccinate ahead of it - we must prevent the virus from getting established."
Read in full

Friday 18th April ~ " ... The second that I can get my hands on the vaccine, it will be done."

Roger Long, of the NFU's regional livestock board, is quoted today (EDP24) saying vaccine is likely to be here two or three weeks ahead of schedule. In spite of the higher cost of the first supplies of vaccine to arrive because only smaller 20ml vaccine bottles will be available at first, he has ordered 1,500 doses for his cattle and will not delay vaccination until the cheaper 50ml bottles arrive later in May.
Vets are to be allowed to inject a 1ml dose of vaccine from the 20ml bottles and Mr Long is hoping it might be possible for vets to hold a mass vaccination clinic for producers with a small number of animals rather than expecting smallholders with only a few animals to have to obtain a full bottle containing more doses than they need. Read article

Friday 18th April ~ Tim Farron says vaccination for rare breeds should be a top priority

The Lib Dem MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Tim Farron, who is chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming, has written to Hilary Benn to call for rare breeds to be vaccinated first. He says that farmers "may face devastating losses to rare breeds that may prove to be irreplaceable." Under the present vaccination plan, rare breeds don't have any priority even though, because of their low numbers, the survival of breeds such as Rough Fell and Herdwicks could be at risk. See Cumberland News

Friday 18th April ~ DEFRA is being persuaded to order 8 million more doses - we hope

Alistair Driver reports in the Farmers Guardian that the NFU's head of food and farming, Kevin Pearce, says DEFRA is close to ordering another 8 million doses. Mr Pearce told the NFU council on Tuesday:
"Discussions are going on with Ministers about ordering additional vaccine. We need another 8m doses to complete vaccination in England and I am hopeful we will see some positive results on that soon. I think we have a very good case. ...Although Intervet is saying publicly it expects to deliver 3m doses in May, I would be very disappointed if they don't deliver at least 5m in May. Production of vaccine has gone extremely well and they are capable of doing that,"
The NFU and all the other members of the JAB campaign, are to be congratulated on the way they are injecting a much-neede sense of urgency into persuading farmers of the need for 100 per cent coverage of susceptible livestock.

Wednesday 16th April ~ "Animal health and welfare is simply too important to remain as at present..

.. it must be given clear leadership and be made less vulnerable to budgetary fluctuations and 'border disputes' between organisations." This month's Beringer Report (pdf) into the funding, governance and risk management at the Institute for Animal Health to advise the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) makes 13 recommendations including the urgent redevelopment of the Pirbright Site as a new 'National Centre for Animal Viral Disease' BBSRC and Defra should jointly provide long-term core funding so that the facility is no longer funded merely through the award of research grants and contracts, ensuring that safety and biosecurity needs are satisfied.
The BBSRC and Defra must agree long-term arrangements for its ownership and management- and they should lead in setting up a funding body for animal health and welfare research, surveillance and associated functions. Finally, a new Animal Health and Welfare agency should be established.

April 16 2008 ~ BBSRC Chief Executive Steve Visscher : "The BBSRC Council and Executive are extremely grateful to Professor Beringer and his review panel for the thoughtful and incisive nature of their report.

" It provides a real basis for BBSRC to move forward and to resolve the regrettable but inevitable uncertainty under which IAH staff have been working. I would like to take this opportunity to repeat BBSRC's ongoing support for those staff who are continuing to deliver vital research, for example on Bluetongue Disease, during this period." See BBSRC response to Beringer (14th April)

Friday April 11 2008 ~"responsibility without power" No-one wants to be the next Chief Veterinary Officer?

In the Farmers Guardian Professor Joe Brownlie is quoted as saying that "... the modern CVO had responsibility without power and, as such, candidates to replace Mr Landeg were discouraged.
"This is not an attractive position," he said. "I know two colleagues that have been approached and have turned it down. It is a reduced role across the entire sector," he added...."

Friday April 11 2008 ~ Will inactivated vaccine protect the foetus?

(In human medicine, live Rubella vaccine, given before pregnancy does not always protect the baby from secondary rubella infection in the mother even if antibodies are present. This is why small boys are vaccinated too, to try and reduce the circulating wild type.)
A french paper (pdf in French) by the French Agency AFSSA has examined available data on the possible effects on reproduction of the vaccines that have been authorised in various countries. Warmwell.com's unofficial translation may be read here. Extract:
What is certain is that vaccination reduces the viraemia of the wild virus at the time of an infection. So, in the absence of viraemia, there is no teratogenic or abortive phenomenon.
Read warmwell.com's translation

Friday April 11 2008 ~ end the complexities

A farmer from East Yorkshire writes to the Farmers Guardian to describe the real difficulties of the present policy. He suggests, as so many have already done, an urgent acceptance of the
"one sensible solution to all this potential and current chaos and that is to declare the whole country a Protection Zone, not in a piece-meal manner deriving from the sequential availability of the vaccine, but now in one fell swoop......to put an end to all the complexities arising from different zones"

April 10 2008 ~ Several hundred French farmers block Mont Blanc over compensation

Christian Berthet, head of the FFCB livestock farming union for the south-eastern Rhone-Alpes region, is quoted: "Bluetongue stopped us from working in 2007 and we want compensation." France had about 11,000 cases by the end of 2007 and new cases have recently been reported.
UPDATE (We have been told that the french protest at the Mont Blanc tunnel was not really done by farmers, but by cattle dealers, who lost their export business to italy because of their rejection of non-vaccinated cattle. Many thanks to Seb Schäfer.)
The BBC reported:
"The FFCB says the compensation package for 2007 is the same amount as in 2006, when the disease affected 16 departments, yet it spread to the rest of the country later on. The French government on Monday said it was releasing 6m euros (£4.8 million) in aid for farmers whose herds have been hit. The FFCB picked the Mont Blanc tunnel to stage its protest because it leads to Italy, one of the main markets for French veal. Italy closed its border in March as French calves had not been vaccinated against bluetongue."
As we know, there is no compensation planned for the UK at all.

April 10 2008 ~ "Dear members of the Council, and Mrs Androulla Vassiliou..."

The European Livestock Association (ELA) has registered "its great concern" to the EU Commission and the EU Council with regard to those regions and/or countries that are still 'free' zones - but for whom vaccination against BTV8 is not yet seen as a permitted option
"... we strongly urge the Council and the Commission to review the legislation concerning vaccination in order to ensure an adequate and effective response.
We feel that the situation with bluetongue offers a real opportunity for the Commission to demonstrate its leadership and undoubted expertise by adopting a pan European approach to the control of this latest extremely serious threat to our livestock industry. We feel that a critical part of this policy is the option for member states to vaccinate all susceptible animals without the immediate consequences of limiting vaccination to a protection zone.
Furthermore, by adopting preventive vaccination, as was recently advocated by the European Parliament, we will surely be moving towards the very laudable objectives/ideals expressed in the document "Towards a durable animal health policy in a global world". ."
Read the letter sent by the European Livestock Association (html) or (pdf)

April 9 2008 ~ Scots to vaccinate in compulsory campaign....now confirmed...

that £3 million has been secured from the Scottish Government for a compulsory bluetongue vaccine program. Vaccine costs are to be split 50:50 between farmer and government. Confirmation received. This story now appears in FWi
"....Tenders for the supply of 12 million doses of vaccine are to be invited immediately. It is hoped that vaccine will be available for use on a limited scale in the summer in the event of a bluetongue outbreak. It is estimated that the cost to farmers could be as little as 50-60p per vaccination after the grant. All cattle and sheep will be vaccinated in most parts of Scotland. A decision has still to be made as to whether the islands and an area in the north-west will be exempt. Vaccination will be done by farmers themselves with close veterinary supervision to ensure compliance. Failure to comply could result in fines as £5000 and/or six months in jail..."
See also Scotsman (Thursday)

April 9 2008 ~ Under new EU rules, decided today, vaccinated animals and those considered immune will be free to move from bluetongue zones into bluetongue free areas.

The Farmers Guardian: "The draft regulation modifying the rules finally received approval today (Wednesday, April 9) at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) in Brussels.... Following the decision, member states will be given the power to tighten up restrictions on non-vaccinated stock, allowing them to impose strict import bans on all susceptible livestock older than 90 days...."
Farming Weekly says, "member states agreed the rule change which will prevent the movement of bluetongue susceptible animals more than 90 days old, unless they have been vaccinated or have natural immunity. Another condition is that, where animals have been vaccinated, at least 50 days must have passed before they can move out of a zone, to ensure that they are not infective. This applies to both breeding and slaughter animals, and covers both the protection and surveillance zones until the end of 2008, when it will be reviewed."

April 9 2008 ~ "....accumulating evidence that infection with BTV-8 during pregnancy in cattle may lead to congenital brain defects..."

A letter in the Vet Record about data compiled in the Netherlands is reported on ProMed today. The moderator comment says that the data are complementary to field observations from Germany, presented in posting 20080315.1028 and encourages subscribers to visit Belgium's presentation during the SCFCAH 31 Mar 2008 meeting (pdf) . It includes, among others, the following data pertaining to transplacental BTV-8 transmission in cattle:
1. Increased abortion rate: 68 aborted fetuses tested, of which 28 found RT-PCR positive.
2. Increased neonatal mortality, malformations: 11 out of 109 suspected newborn calves RT-PCR and ELISA positive
In Belgium, mandatory vaccination of sheep and cattle (except veal calves) will take place in May, according to the pdf file (18 very clear pages).

April 9 2008 ~ Switzerland has ordered 4 million doses of bluetongue vaccine - from all three manufacturers: Fort Dodge, Intervet and Merial.

The ProMed posting also comments on the Swiss conclusion that "midges are mostly active in lower areas" The moderator says that this is in need of clarification.
"It seems to be certainly valid when the vector is _Culicoides imicola_. It will be interesting to obtain updated information on the identity of the culicoides species involved in the Swiss arena, and their breeding and feeding behaviour in the prevailing habitats, including higher latitudes."
The Swiss campaign is being organised by the cantonal veterinary services together with the Federal Veterinary Office and carried out by vets. It will be financed by the Swiss "federal government, the cantons and the agricultural industry."

April 9 2008 ~ "Many of my cows have again developed bleeding from the nose..."

A response to the story below has been received from Janine Allis-Smith
'I have just looked at the Dutch website and a link article says they are going to vaccinate livestock in the Northern provinces first, presuming those in the South which have been infected have often developed antibodies and are less susceptible. Then it goes on re the re-infection (Dutch source www.limburger.nl):
"Because of the infection last year, many of N.Brabant and Limburg's dairly farmers are still experiencing big losses. "Many of my cows have again developed bleeding from the nose, one of the signs of the disease", says Cees Gommers from Ysselsteyn. Last year he lost 16 of his 120 cows. Many of the animals left produce up to 40% less milk."...'
Many thanks for this update. (It refers to the paragraph below) The suggestion that animals, according to this report, really can get reinfected is extremely worrying. UPDATE We are grateful to Sabine Zentis who writes, "I have tried to find out some more background info but so far there is no proof of multiple infection in the same animal. The symptoms described can be regarded either as long term effects of BT or might be attributed to a different condition like IBR etc."

Tuesday April 8 2008 ~ Are recovered animals really immune?

Any plans, such as the German vaccination plan, not to vaccinate proven seropositive animals may be put in jeopardy by the worrying suggestion that data in Belgium points to animals getting infected a second time.
Our own rather freely translated version of the article at www.deondernemer.nl today suggests that the Dutch milk stock breeders' trade union (NMV) fear that there will be a shortfall of a million doses of vaccine. The government has ordered six million but the association expects that at least seven million will be necessary. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture is going on the assumption that on farms where infection has occurred before, animals, being already sufficiently resistent against the virus, are no longer in need of vaccination. However, the NMV is concerned that animals are not protected automatically after a first infection. This is on the basis of Belgian data which suggests that ruminants were infected in both 2006 and 2007.
(Advice about the accuracy of this would be much appreciated but we know how busy readers are.)
UPDATE a kind reader, Janine, sends the update above.

Tuesday April 8 2008 ~ JAB's progress

Congratulations to the stakeholders in the JAB partnership who are raising consciousness about the urgent need for livestock owners to contact their vet and work out how much vaccine to ask for and when they can get on with vaccinating. www.farmingviews.co.uk quotes JAB today now that the vaccine been approved for use in the UK by the Veterinary Medicines Directive and is expected to release the first three million doses to the UK in May but is confident that this number can be exceeded. :
"This is a significant step forward for the campaign, which is aimed at getting farmers behind a vaccination programme to stop bluetongue in its tracks.
Farmers should identify how much vaccine they need for their livestock, they should contact their vet about ordering and talk to them about vaccine availability."
JAB stakeholders are: the NFU, National Sheep Association, National Beef Association, British Meat Processors Association , Livestock Auctioneers Association, Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, British Veterinary Association , Country Land and Business Association, Tenant Farmers Association, Association of Independent Meat Suppliers, Dairy UK, British Cattle Veterinary Association, the Sheep Veterinary Society, the Rare Breed Survival Trust, British Alpaca Society, British Llama Society, British Wool Marketing Board, British Simmental Society, English Beef and Lamb Executive and the Sheep Centre.

Tuesday April 8 2008 ~ Veterinary profession tries to voice its advice and concerns to the Government "not always as successfully as one might have wished"

Presentations given to BVA Council meeting last Wednesdays (see www.medicalnewstoday.com) included one by Paul Roger of the Sheep Veterinary Society on bluetongue.
"Since the first reported case last year BVA and its relevant divisions have been working to increase awareness of the disease, including recognition of clinical signs, primarily through BVA and divisional publications - an article by the President will feature in the April edition of Off The Record - and websites. As Mr Roger's presentation made clear, the profession has been part of Defra's Core Stakeholder Group and has had the opportunity, albeit not always as successfully as one might have wished, to feed the profession's advice and concerns through to Government. Despite frustrations with the process, the profession had recently signed up to JAB (the Joint Action against Bluetongue campaign), designed to promote the mass vaccination of bluetongue susceptible animals and Council representatives were urged to encourage their members to use the resources available on the BVA website to promote awareness of all aspects of the disease and the importance of vaccination."
See BVA website page on JAB and clinical signs and regional seminars.

Tuesday April 8 2008 ~ Bluetongue causes a loss of over 39 million pounds to Dutch Livestock sector

The Netherlands newspaper, www.agd.nl (Agrarisch Dagblad) reveals today that the Dutch livestock sector suffered a loss of 49.3 milllion euro last year because of the bluetongue epidemic. Research from Wageningen university shows 43.8 million euro losses in cattle and 5.5 million in the sheep sector. This compares with losses of 28.5 million euros the previous year. (Many thanks to the UK correspondent for the Agrarisch Dagblad in Holland, Ruud Peys, who has kindly contacted warmwell.com.)

Monday April 7/8 2008 ~ failure to communicate effectively with farmers or with vets, despite "consultations" and road shows

Under the despair-inducing headline, Farmers sceptical about disease vaccine in the Northampton Chronicle, we read that farmers in the county "have said they know little about the vaccine and are unsure how well it will combat the disease..." This is followed by the anxious words of a farmer:
"We do wish it had been done sooner but some vets recommended we don't vaccinate the cows because there are so many strains of the virus, it's like flu, and we're not necessarily going to cover the right one."
There are evidently many farmers who are still unaware that we are threatened with a single strain of BTV and vets who - for what reasons no clue is given - are advising against vaccination. As an emailer writes, "Here's more evidence of Defra's failure to communicate effectively with farmers or with vets, despite all the money they have invested in their various "consultations" and road shows. .."
Nothing less than the survival of the sheep and cattle livestock industry of the UK is threatened by this disease and vaccination is all we have to combat it. We can only urge readers to sign the NBA petition and do all they can to raise awareness of the vital need for as near as possible 100% vaccination coverage of all farm ruminants.

Monday April 7 2008 ~ " High time the whole country was treated as infected and an urgent all out campaign adopted to vaccinate everything..."

An emailer, an experienced vet, writes today
"Thanks for opportunity to sign petition. However when will Defra realise inky lines on paper do not stop midges or dealers spreading disease? High time whole country was treated as infected and an urgent all out campaign adopted to vaccinate everything. When will this stupid nonsense cease? We have vaccinated sheep for decades against Clostridial disease - and some cattle. Also pigs against disease. The public have happily eaten the meat - yet still these myths are spread to to prevent vaccination."
An area that chooses pre-emptively to vaccinate to protect its animals should not suffer trade penalties. A direct link to the NBA petition here will enable readers to register electronically their support for the plea to the EU to change the rules that militate against a more effective campaign to eradicate disease. As Rees Roberts, HCC chairman says on www.meatinfo.co.uk : " Decisive action needs to be taken immediately ... It is very likely that the disease will reach Wales in 2008 and therefore it is vital that the industry is prepared for this by considering strategies for limiting the impact of the disease in advance of its arrival."

Sunday April 6 2008 ~ Direct link to the NBA petition

Please support the Petition, irrespective of whether you are a member of NBA Scotland or not. The Petition is open to all those who concerned about livestock. A direct link here will enable you to send your support electronically. "We, the undersigned, call upon the European Commission to...
1. Permit vaccination against Bluetongue Virus serotype 8, with inactivated licenced vaccine, in a Bluetongue-free country/region such as Scotland BEFORE the disease arrives and without the requirement to declare that country/region as a Protection Zone.
2. That vaccination should be used to protect against Blue Tongue virus in Scotland as a Free Zone, therefore gaining Scotland the status of 'vaccinated free of virus'.
3. That, in the event of the Surveillance Zone encroaching into Scotland before Bluetongue vaccination can be achieved, vaccination against Bluetongue virus should be permitted without the consequences of that area being designated a Protection Zone."

April 6 ~ " three million doses will be delivered in May"

EDP 24 reports: "Intervet has indicated that it will release the first doses to the UK in May, subject to final batch testing. In a statement, Defra said about three million doses will be delivered in May and could exceed this commitment..."
And as Channel 4 news sensibly reported last night:"...It's about as early as could have been hoped but the vaccine is as yet untried and treating susceptible animals will be a race against time before midges re-emerge and begin to spread bluetongue again.
There have been no new infections confirmed in Britain's 34 million sheep so far this spring -- but testing continues.
A Bluetongue outbreak on the scale of Europe's last year could kill 5million of them. Only once all farmers have vaccinated their flocks, will the threat of Bluetongue pass."

April 5 ~ " scientists who, if they were truly independent, should be shouting from the roofs of their institutes (or homepages of their websites) .."

"...that the present way of doing things does not make scientific sense. But instead, they appear happy to take the Government's money and do as they are asked within a tightly controlled remit. So Scottish scientists, instead of leading the way in Europe as to how Bluetongue disease should be handled, simply add to the burden of thoughtless bureaucracy." Read James Irvine's article on land-care.org.uk in full.

April 4/5 2008 ~ Defra officials ignore their own notices

It is hard to find positive things to say about DEFRA even though we do look for such information and would certainly print it if sent to us. It is, for example, with a sense of ironic despair that we read on p. 38 of the Farmers Weekly an anonymous letter entitled 'Why didn't DEFRA follow the rules?', describing how two Defra officials at a recent Livestock Market Roadshow at Holsworthy Market, despite the numerous notices all over the market, failed to dip their boots in disinfectant.

April 4/5 2008 ~ More a plug for themselves than emergency information for worried farmers?

Nowhere in DEFRA's "Give disease the Boot" article-cum-advert in the print version of the Farmers Weekly is there any sense of urgency, nor is there anything about the need for vaccination, the need to register with your vet, the timetable of vaccination, or the areas which are eligible.
Defra's large colour photo of a farmer looking downwards at 3 sheep standing round him, is captioned 'Good stockmanship and vigilance can help prevent the spread of disease' and it has a long plug for the Defra market Livestock Market Roadshows. There is also a paragraph on Bluetongue symptoms, advising farmers that BT is a notifiable disease and to seek the advice of a vet "if they are worried" But rather than communicating urgency, the need for vaccination, the need to register, the timetable and the areas which are eligible, space is taken up with the injunction:
'To keep up to date about disease and vaccination, visit www.defra.gov.uk/givediseasetheboot or phone Defra's helpline.
As one emailer writes, "WHAT A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. Given many farmers' recent experience of Defra, they are unlikely to look at the website or use the helpline. And how many hill farmers are online?"

April 3 2008 ~ Bluetongue vaccination roll out plan published

DEFRA today seems content to accept that "under EU law" the strange situation exists that if uninfected regions, such as Scotland and Wales and the free areas of England, want to protect their as yet uninfected animals by vaccinating them the area must be redesignated "Protection Zones" which must then, also by EU law, allow imports from genuinely infected zones. Defra says today:
"Under EU law, vaccination can only be carried out in a Protection Zone. As vaccine starts to be delivered by Intervet, vaccination will, therefore, commence in the Protection Zone only. Once vaccination is progressing across the Protection Zone, the intention is to extend or modify the Zone county by county, in order to permit further vaccination. The strategy has been developed and agreed with a Core Group of industry stakeholders. It is designed to be flexible, taking into account the changing nature of the disease, such as moving zones, the varying levels of disease risk in the zones and the availability of vaccine. More details of the vaccination strategy, alongside indicative prices for the vaccine, can be found on the Defra website."
. See NBA Scotland's petition below See also DEFRA's latest Zone map

April 3 2008 ~ vaccination "could significantly reduce bluetongue virus circulation .." says Jonathan Shaw - but uninfected zones stymied by EU legislation

We still have the ludicrous situation in EU legislation that if uninfected regions want to protect their as yet uninfected animals by vaccinating them the area must be redesignated "Protection Zones" which must then, by EU law, allow imports from genuinely infected zones.
It is hard to work out what Mr Shaw's advisers have been telling him about vaccination. Mr Shaw yesterday said, Hansard
"The implementation of a vaccination programme could significantly reduce bluetongue virus circulation and limit its geographical distribution, contributing to its control and potential eradication at some point in the future "
But one is also still rather reeling from Mr Shaw's throw-away line (below)
" lack of scientific evidence to support an immediate prospect of eradication through vaccination suggests that the case for compulsion is weak "
wondering what scientific evidence DEFRA has been looking at and what sort of time scale for eradication his advisers assume would follow a near 100% vaccination coverage. As for the reality of the 'vector-free' period, see ProMed comment below.

April 3 2008 ~ ProMed informed by Pirbright that no new cases infected in past four months "as far as we are aware"

Dr Chris Oura wrote to ProMed "Since November 2007, lab results indicate that all the "new cases" of bluetongue reported in the UK were infected during the vector season in 2007 and were only picked up by pre-movement testing carried out in 2008. As far as we are aware at present, there is no indication that BTV-8 has been circulating in the UK in the past 4 months (December-March 2008). These cases are neither a reoccurrence of disease nor a new outbreak; these animals have remained PCR- and ELISA-positive since being infected during the midge season in 2007, and the animals showed no clinical signs of disease at the time of pre-movement sampling."

April 3 2008 ~"..... the reality of the "vector-free" season"

ProMed today details research carried out by Dr Thomas Balenghien and colleagues: "....BTV-8 RNA detections in both France and Netherlands [see Bluetongue - Europe (17): BTV-8, new vector, update 20080321.1077 and commentary. - Mod.AS] in late autumn 2007 confirm without doubt that culicoides chiopterus has to be considered a potential vector of bluetongue virus in Europe." The commentary adds, "...they state that since entomosurveillance systems based on UV traps assess only nocturnal activity, it could not be excluded that host-seeking behaviour occurs during mild winter days, indicating the need to check the existence of a diurnal movement in winter, in order to evaluate the reality of the "vector-free" season.

April 3 2008 ~ Departments in part of S W France now regulated for both BTV-8 and BTV-1; vaccination will be reassessed to take into account the evolution of the disease.

ProMed also points out today that the French Ministry's website announced on 31 Mar 2008 that "2 new cases of BTV-1 have been confirmed in the Departments of the Gironde (at Queyrac) and in the Department of Landes (at Leon). Following the event located in the Gironde, a decree extending the regulated regions for serotype 1 to this department and part of nearby departments, the Charente and Charente Maritime, was published in the official gazette of 1 Apr 2008. These areas were already regulated under their BTV-8 situation.
The order also amends the regulatory area under the serotype 1 to reflect the launch of the vaccination campaign against this serotype in the departments of the Gers, Landes, Pyrenees Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrenees.
The vaccination will be reassessed to take into account the evolution of the disease."

April 2/3 2008 ~ "the lack of scientific evidence to support an immediate prospect of eradication through vaccination suggests that the case for compulsion is weak." Jonathan Shaw

Hansard from April 1 - Not, unfortunately, an April Fool's comment; rather a Ministerial one.

April 2 2008 ~ Scotland - although the livestock industry is unanimous in its demand for the vaccine, none has yet been ordered

James Irvine, on Land-care.org.uk, has written about the NBA Scotland petition, calling on the EU for some common sense changes. He writes: