The Joint campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB) is launching a series of roadshow meetings to give updates on Bluetongue disease to local farmers, vets and the wider farming industry.
Events will be staged across the south of England, the area of the country most at risk. Audiences will be able to hear about what clinical signs to look out for, what to do if Bluetongue is suspected and find out more about the vaccine to assess the risk to the farm and stock.
Bluetongue is caused by a virus transmitted by biting midges, which are most active between May and October and can infect all ruminants such as sheep, cattle, goats and deer as well as camelids like llama and alpaca. The disease is currently circulating in France – Defra has analysed the risk to livestock in the UK and the country is at risk of an outbreak during the spring or summer months, with an outbreak in late summer rated the most likely – the probability of incursion being 5-10 per cent in May, 33-60 per cent in July and 80 per cent in September.
NFU animal health and welfare adviser Rebecca Veale said: “We are targeting farming communities across the south of England as we know that this is likely to be the route of transmission by infected midges being blown across from France where the situation is being carefully monitored.
“The meetings that are being organised will include presentations from vets, scientists and NFU advisers and the audiences can also get involved in question and answer sessions.”
JAB has put together a leaflet and poster to highlight the signs of Bluetongue and how farmers can be proactive. Farmers are encouraged to visit the NFU website which contains all the latest information on the disease.
