August 22, 2006

Bluetongue confirmed in Netherlands threatens livestock industry

The confirmation of several cases of bluetongue disease in the Netherlands, and possibly in Belgium and Germany, poses a huge threat to the EU's livestock industry, John Kinnaird, the president of NFU Scotland, said last week.

The development is worrying as risks of the disease spreading are increasing, Kinnaird said. He further urged governments to put measures in place to protect farmers and consumers.

All trade of ruminants out of the Netherlands has been suspended and a 20km quarantine zone has been imposed around the affected premises.

Bluetongue is a viral disease that affects cattle, sheep and goats. However, sheep suffer most and up to three-quarters of animals can die in an outbreak.

Since 1999, bluetongue has been discovered in a number of European countries, with the most severe outbreak in recent times occurring two years ago in southern Spain where the disease killed large numbers of animals.

Until recently, veterinary experts had thought that bluetongue was unlikely to spread to northern Europe. However, the recent outbreak in the Netherlands has occurred much further north than any other previous incident. It is now suggested that global warming may have contributed to the advance of the disease northwards.

Symptoms in sheep include a fever, hyperventilation, swelling of the lips and excess salivation.

However, the disease displays no visible symptoms in cattle and can only be confirmed through laboratory testing.