October 1, 2007

UK's bluetongue outbreak, a "bitter blow" - Farmers' Union

The government's announcement on Friday (September 28) that the viral disease Bluetongue is now circulating from mosquito-like midges to cattle in Eastern England serves as "a bitter blow," according to the National Farmers Union.

The UK livestock-farming community was already reeling from the impact of foot-and-mouth disease along with this year's sharp rise in feed prices.

The government confirmed the disease was circulating in East Anglia in eastern England Friday following epidemiological investigations into five cases identified so far.

The disease was confirmed for the first time in the UK on September 23. 

While cattle, sheep, goats and other ruminants can be moved within the Bluetongue zones, movements out of them, including exports, are banned.

"This news is not unexpected, but it will still come as a bitter blow to farmers across a large swathe of eastern England, who now faces the prospect of movement restrictions stretching on for many months into the future," said NFU President Peter Kendall.

"Bluetongue is a nasty disease, which represents a very real threat to the welfare of farm animals, as well as to the economics of livestock farming," said Kendall, adding that every that needs to be done to contain the disease.

Bluetongue is transmitted by the movement of midges or by movements of infected animals if they are subsequently bitten by midges. It is a disease of ruminant animals, including sheep, cattle, deer, camelids and goats. It doesn't affect humans.