February 15, 2008

Scotland livestock farmers lobby for early vaccination to avert bluetongue risks

Scotland animal farmers recently urged the government to make bluetongue vaccines available for general use this summer to avert major setbacks caused by the disease.

National Beef Association (NBA) Scotland reiterated that to counter the advance of bluetongue virus, which has the potential to inflict disastrous economic and animal welfare damage on their businesses, access to an effective restraint should be well provided.

The Scottish government recently announced that it is willing to spend EUR10 million (US$15 million) on a national vaccination programme, but it might hold back the fund until 2009.

The association said that the Scottish government's decision to defer covering Scotland with the protection zone (PZ) status will make it hard for breeding stock producers to sell unvaccinated stock to important markets such as England and Wales.