Intervet vaccinations anticipated as bluetongue spreads

Britain’s surveillance and protection area for bluetongue has been extended following the discovering of new cases in the south-east of England.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Health (Defra) ordered 22.5 million doses of the bluetongue vaccination from Intervet which it will distribute before the summer months in order to control further spread of the disease.

However, recent pre-movement testing revealed the presence of the disease in two cattle at a West Sussex farm.

Last year, National Farmers’ Union president Peter Kendall reported that British livestock breeders are suffering “huge anxiety” as a result of the outbreak.

“Vaccination will be the key tool in protecting English livestock farmers from the devastating impact bluetongue has had across much of northern Europe,” he asserted.

However, the union official had also warned that there are many practical aspects of a vaccination bank which must be addressed if the benefits are to make “real economic sense”.