Blue tongue - information needed
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forestblaze
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 6:22 pm
- Location: Forest of Dean Gloucestershire
Having read Warmwell today is there any one out there with any information on this midge borne disease which seems to be heading for this country,Defra are chanting the old mantra of compulsary slaughter,it only affects ruminants they say,but what about deer,are they not ruminants,or are we about to take a step backwards to 2001,living here in the Forest of Dean with free roaming sheep ,and an increasing population of wild deer,I am more than a little worried Sue
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Duncan MacIntyre
- Posts: 2372
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:38 am
- Location: Isle of Bute, Scotland, UK
COPIED FROM "VETERINARY TIMES" OF 02/04/07
Vets and farmers must "be on alert" for a highly infectious disease that ooses challenges to livestock farming never before seen in the Uk, it has been claimed.
The warning about bluetongue came from chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds, who fears the disease - which emerged in northern Europe last year - is close enough to Britain to be a "real risk" during the summer.
Dr Reynolds further stated that scientific evidence and veterinary service capabilities are essential to ensure readiness for the possible appearance of the disease in this country.
She said "A tectonic plate shifted in animal health during August 2006, when bluetongue virus (BTV) strain 8 was found in Dutch livestock. There have been 10 incursions of BTV in Europe in the past 10 years, but none as significant or risky to the UK. It was an important event in the annals of veterinary history, certainly in the top five for my veterinary career, which has seen remarkable events such as BSE in cattle and FMD in 2001"
Bluetongue, which is transmitted by midges, is a highly infectious disease of all ruminants, although sheep are most susceptible - up to 70% of infected animals can die from the virus. Visible characteristics in sheep include a fever that may last for several days, mucous lining the animals mouth, nose and eyes, and excessive salivation and frothing.
SPREADING NORTH
recognised globally as one of the most economically important diseases of livestock, bluetongue was first discovered in
South Africa, but has been gradually spreading north since the late 1990's, which experts claim could be due to global warming.
However, its discovery in the Netherlands marked the first time the disease had reached north Europe. Within a month, the number of affected farms had doubled to more than 400, despite preventive measures.
Although the virus has never occurred in the UK, Dr Reynolds claimed the current situation is of concern because:
the latitude of bluetongue in Europe is further north than previously experienced
cattle are clinically affected, as well as sheep
a differeent group of midges, common to northern Europe and the UK, acts as the vector and
infection is continuiing deep into the winter season.
According to Dr Reynolds, UK BTV contingency plans were updated in 2002, but the scenario envisaged then was one of warming winter and infection creeping slowly up from the Mediterranean rather than a long-distance spark from an unknown origin.
She said;
: "It is vital to take the new situration seriously, as it poses big challenges to aspects of livestock farming that we have not faced before."
According to DEFRA, an outbreak of BTV would lead to a ban on exports of all live ruminant animals and germ line materials. Outbreaks may also be very difficult to control and eradicated, meaning that trade restrictions can be long term and very damaging.
However, Dr Reynolds said " Alert livestock keepers and their veterinarians can spot this problem with careful differential diagnosis. Scientific evidence and veterinary service capabilities are essentiial and must be flexible to ensure the surveillance and prevention measures are suitable and flexible."
Although she admitted a degree of uncertainty about the risk of infection in the UK, Dr Reynolds claimed: "Everything I see makes me think this virus is near enough to the UK to be a real risk to us this summer. Infected midges could blow in our direction and we can do absolutely nothing to stop it happening."
She added; "We will play a key role in helping the industry keep the disease at bay by entry through other routes. We will continue to post import test all susceptible animals from the rest of the EU to ensure that at least this pathway of infection is blocked off.
"Early detection and control of a few isolated incidents might just stop it in an early enough stage to prevent the cycle of spread in British midges."
END OF ARTICLE
Sorry to post so much at one go but thought it best just to put on the whole article. This weeks VET Times carries an equally scary bit about the prospect of African Horse Sickness reaching UK shores, not a happy prospect as it is thought to be the most infectious horse disease on the planet and can have a very high death rate. Control in some areas of the World involves slaughter policies which would not likely be seen as acceptable here.
Scary times, but lets keep calm
Duncan
Vets and farmers must "be on alert" for a highly infectious disease that ooses challenges to livestock farming never before seen in the Uk, it has been claimed.
The warning about bluetongue came from chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds, who fears the disease - which emerged in northern Europe last year - is close enough to Britain to be a "real risk" during the summer.
Dr Reynolds further stated that scientific evidence and veterinary service capabilities are essential to ensure readiness for the possible appearance of the disease in this country.
She said "A tectonic plate shifted in animal health during August 2006, when bluetongue virus (BTV) strain 8 was found in Dutch livestock. There have been 10 incursions of BTV in Europe in the past 10 years, but none as significant or risky to the UK. It was an important event in the annals of veterinary history, certainly in the top five for my veterinary career, which has seen remarkable events such as BSE in cattle and FMD in 2001"
Bluetongue, which is transmitted by midges, is a highly infectious disease of all ruminants, although sheep are most susceptible - up to 70% of infected animals can die from the virus. Visible characteristics in sheep include a fever that may last for several days, mucous lining the animals mouth, nose and eyes, and excessive salivation and frothing.
SPREADING NORTH
recognised globally as one of the most economically important diseases of livestock, bluetongue was first discovered in
South Africa, but has been gradually spreading north since the late 1990's, which experts claim could be due to global warming.
However, its discovery in the Netherlands marked the first time the disease had reached north Europe. Within a month, the number of affected farms had doubled to more than 400, despite preventive measures.
Although the virus has never occurred in the UK, Dr Reynolds claimed the current situation is of concern because:
the latitude of bluetongue in Europe is further north than previously experienced
cattle are clinically affected, as well as sheep
a differeent group of midges, common to northern Europe and the UK, acts as the vector and
infection is continuiing deep into the winter season.
According to Dr Reynolds, UK BTV contingency plans were updated in 2002, but the scenario envisaged then was one of warming winter and infection creeping slowly up from the Mediterranean rather than a long-distance spark from an unknown origin.
She said;
: "It is vital to take the new situration seriously, as it poses big challenges to aspects of livestock farming that we have not faced before."
According to DEFRA, an outbreak of BTV would lead to a ban on exports of all live ruminant animals and germ line materials. Outbreaks may also be very difficult to control and eradicated, meaning that trade restrictions can be long term and very damaging.
However, Dr Reynolds said " Alert livestock keepers and their veterinarians can spot this problem with careful differential diagnosis. Scientific evidence and veterinary service capabilities are essentiial and must be flexible to ensure the surveillance and prevention measures are suitable and flexible."
Although she admitted a degree of uncertainty about the risk of infection in the UK, Dr Reynolds claimed: "Everything I see makes me think this virus is near enough to the UK to be a real risk to us this summer. Infected midges could blow in our direction and we can do absolutely nothing to stop it happening."
She added; "We will play a key role in helping the industry keep the disease at bay by entry through other routes. We will continue to post import test all susceptible animals from the rest of the EU to ensure that at least this pathway of infection is blocked off.
"Early detection and control of a few isolated incidents might just stop it in an early enough stage to prevent the cycle of spread in British midges."
END OF ARTICLE
Sorry to post so much at one go but thought it best just to put on the whole article. This weeks VET Times carries an equally scary bit about the prospect of African Horse Sickness reaching UK shores, not a happy prospect as it is thought to be the most infectious horse disease on the planet and can have a very high death rate. Control in some areas of the World involves slaughter policies which would not likely be seen as acceptable here.
Scary times, but lets keep calm
Duncan
Duncan MacIntyre
Burnside Dexters 00316
Burnside
Ascog
Isle of Bute
Burnside Dexters 00316
Burnside
Ascog
Isle of Bute
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forestblaze
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 6:22 pm
- Location: Forest of Dean Gloucestershire
About 28 years ago I think I remember that blue tongue disease was one of the reasons why I could not import Pygmy goats from America. I don't know how common it was, or whether it is now relevant, but I'm hoping American Dexter owners will be able to reassure us that they still have a significant livestock industry. I'm not trying to make light of possible risks but wolf is cried so often nowadays, and there is absolutely nothing we can do about 'midges being blown in our direction', so unless the worst happens livestock owners have quite enough to worry about already without adding this to the list.
Thanks, Duncan, for taking the trouble to copy the Veterinary Times' piece; I was wondering myself how to select the best(!) bits from it to post.
With regard to Forestblaze and the concern about the deer in the forest of Dean (or any other forest) it is probably worth noting that some species of deer, particularly white-tailed deer, have been known to develop severe clinical disease in North America.
In spite of this, I would still echo Duncan's last sentence...
With regard to Forestblaze and the concern about the deer in the forest of Dean (or any other forest) it is probably worth noting that some species of deer, particularly white-tailed deer, have been known to develop severe clinical disease in North America.
In spite of this, I would still echo Duncan's last sentence...
Ryan
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Exactly Penny - our main worry must be DEFRA in the article 'control' measures to keep the virus from infecting 'our' midges ... hmmmm wonder what they will be!
Intersting Duncan that slaughter of HORSES would not be tolerated here about time we rallied the troops to change the attitude re sheep and cattle
Jo
Intersting Duncan that slaughter of HORSES would not be tolerated here about time we rallied the troops to change the attitude re sheep and cattle
Jo
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Kathy Millar
- Posts: 725
- Joined: Wed May 19, 2004 4:53 pm
- Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Canada used to have a pretty good quarantine law that protected our sheep up here from American imports of cattle and sheep. Unfortunately, the Cattlemen's associations have finally bullied the Canadian government to relax these rules so now we are awaiting the disease. How goes it down south of the Border, our American Dexter breeders?
Kathy
Home Farm, Vancouver Island, Canada
Home Farm, Vancouver Island, Canada
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Duncan MacIntyre
- Posts: 2372
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:38 am
- Location: Isle of Bute, Scotland, UK
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forestblaze
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 6:22 pm
- Location: Forest of Dean Gloucestershire
Penny mentions Spot on etc. is there anything we can use to protect our cattle from these midges we used to use Citronella oil but that seems to have vanished without trace.The only other deterrent that we have found a succes is Bills pipe smoke,the cows and I can be in a swarm of gnats midges mosquitos or any other nasty biting insect, while he stands alone in a haze of Condor ready rubbed,completely untroubled by the surrounding air attack,but teaching Dexters to smoke pipes of silage is just a little too mind boggling to contemplate. Sue
Smoke is ideal. Perhaps you could rent Bill and his pipe out, as we are no longer even allowed to burn hedge clippings?
I have tried Tubby Fly off mineral licks with garlic etc added, which supposedly worked well in Scotland keeping the midges off, but I was not overly impressed. I do not like using chemicals on my animals, especially anything going into the Meat chain, but would prefer this to Blue Tongue or animals distressed by flies/ mastitis etc.
I have tried Tubby Fly off mineral licks with garlic etc added, which supposedly worked well in Scotland keeping the midges off, but I was not overly impressed. I do not like using chemicals on my animals, especially anything going into the Meat chain, but would prefer this to Blue Tongue or animals distressed by flies/ mastitis etc.
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Duncan MacIntyre
- Posts: 2372
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:38 am
- Location: Isle of Bute, Scotland, UK
Sorry to be a wet blanket but smoking in places of work is illegal in Scotland at least.
Seriously though, anyone who has had a horse with sweet itch, an allergic condition triggered by midge bites, will know that it is a major task to reduce the midge challenge to horses. I have to admit to not knowing what level of midge bites are needed to infect either cattle or sheep with bluetongue or horses with African Horse Sickness but I do know that keeping midges off them completely will be very difficult.
Duncan
Seriously though, anyone who has had a horse with sweet itch, an allergic condition triggered by midge bites, will know that it is a major task to reduce the midge challenge to horses. I have to admit to not knowing what level of midge bites are needed to infect either cattle or sheep with bluetongue or horses with African Horse Sickness but I do know that keeping midges off them completely will be very difficult.
Duncan
Duncan MacIntyre
Burnside Dexters 00316
Burnside
Ascog
Isle of Bute
Burnside Dexters 00316
Burnside
Ascog
Isle of Bute
:laugh: Duncan. Fortunately, I still believe in miracles. :D
Instead of using smoke, could you get one of those ultra-violet insect killers? I know its more effective at night, but there may be some type of pheramone (my spelling isn't very good) that will attract the insects to the zapper during the day as well as at night. Do you think this is a viable option?
Instead of using smoke, could you get one of those ultra-violet insect killers? I know its more effective at night, but there may be some type of pheramone (my spelling isn't very good) that will attract the insects to the zapper during the day as well as at night. Do you think this is a viable option?
Inger
NZ
NZ