15 Nov 2024
Research from industry-wide impact survey reveals many farmers on board, but work still to be done to help more than half understand bluetongue implications in 2025.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
More than half of all farmers remain undecided about vaccination against bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) ahead of the summer, industry-wide research shows.
Insight gleaned from the first farmer survey and from separate clinical research have revealed challenges ahead for UK livestock farmers – and help shape an awareness campaign in early 2025.
Work by Flock Health Ltd, led by specialist vet Fiona Lovatt, reveals more than half of respondents were undecided about vaccination, but a large proportion plan to implement it ahead of the next summer season.
Sheep farmers especially are showing higher intent to vaccinate versus cattle farmers – possibly reflecting the severe impact seen on unvaccinated sheep in European flocks.
The study, carried out in collaboration with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the University of Nottingham, found many farmers had questions about efficacy, when to vaccinate, duration of immunity, risks, impact on trade, and vaccine availability and price.
Dr Lovatt said: “With bluetongue restrictions impacting movements, and increasingly, clinical signs being observed, it isn’t surprising that UK farmers have a lot of questions about vaccines.
“Whereas actual infection with BTV-3 definitely has detrimental effects on fertility, there is no data or reports yet to suggest that well-timed vaccination has any negative impact on either sheep or cattle fertility.”
The AHDB is preparing a campaign to raise awareness and encourage vets and farmers to discuss timely vaccination to reduce the impact of BTV-3 next spring.
Farmers in current BTV-3 restriction zones have reported difficulties selling livestock, sourcing forage and in farm operations and cash flow.
Dr Lovatt said it was possible to learn from what had happened in Europe, but the short and mid-term outlook for the disease in the UK is uncertain, depending on weather, midge activity and how it over-winters.
Dr Lovatt added: “We know that in Germany, the research shows a marked difference in outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated herds and flocks.
“Findings indicate that unvaccinated sheep flocks have experienced mortality rates as high as 30%, whereas vaccinated flocks show significantly lower mortality, with some reporting only 1% to 2% losses. We want to learn from this data and build a UK base of evidence that we can trust going forwards.”
Great Britain has seen 161 cases, 159 in England and 2, involving moved cattle, in Wales.
Disease control and restriction zones are in place in counties on the eastern half of England in a line from North Yorkshire to the Isle of Wight.
Full information on regulations is available through the Ruminant Health and Welfare bluetongue hub.
