April 2, 2007

UK cattle industry calls for preventive measures against Bluetongue
 

The British National Beef Association has called on its cattle industry to make all measures available to stop Bluetongue Virus (BTV) to enter their territory - especially through imported cattle.

Defra has stressed it is prohibited to import cattle coming from or have travelled through a BTV zone.

At present BTV restricted areas include all of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg as well as parts of Western Germany and Northern France.

The restriction zones are implementing rules in the movement of all ruminants to properly identify and tested for Bluetongue.

Strict surveillance of ports has also been increased and animals entering UK through these ports have been thoroughly screened.

Cattle passing through departure points in Dunkirk and Calais in France will not be allowed in the UK, said the NBA.

The association also said a breach of these rules will incur a penalty of 5,000 British pounds or a three-month prison term and a slaughter of the imported cattle.

Similar strict rules also apply to empty entering the UK. These must fall in with transport regulations which state that livestock wagons travelling into the country must be thoroughly cleansed so any manure that could be hiding infected midges is removed.