A deadly outbreak of bluetongue disease could kill thousands of sheep and cattle and prove “absolutely devastating” for the livestock industry, experts have warned.
A new strain of the virus is being brought into the UK by midges blown over from Europe.
Greg Smith,Tory MP for the rural constituency of Buckingham, said the spread was worrying, especially as there was not yet a vaccine.
He said: “Bluetongue is deadly for livestock farmers and could wipe out thousands of cattle and sheep.
“Whatever steps are necessary to get a vaccine in place fast must be taken.”
Bluetongue primarily affects cattle, sheep, goats and deer, as well as llamas.
The impact can vary greatly depending on both the species and the strain.
Some animals show no symptoms, while for oth- ers it can cause productivity issues, such as a reduced milk yield.
In the most severe cases, it can be fatal for infected animals. The virus does not affect people or food safety.
Shepherdess Naomi Williams-Roberts, 30, said the outbreak was already a “massive concern”. She runs a rented 120-acre livestock farm in Llangybi, South Wales, and said: “This would be a massive concern for farmers, us included. There were area restrictions in place early this year around Kent, where cases were picked up.
“It could be absolutely devastating, or nothing, depending on the midge activity and also vaccinations.”
The new strain of bluetongue, known as BTV-3, was first spotted in November in England.
Since then, there have been 126 cases in the out- break across four counties – Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey.There is no vaccine in the UK but a new one has been approved for emergency use in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Tom Bradshaw, of the National Farmers Union, said: “It is becoming increasingly clear the Dutch BTV-3 vaccine won’t be authorised for use in the UK quickly enough to protect livestock this summer.
“Defra’s own risk assessment shows bluetongue is highly likely to spread widely across the UK.”
Biosecurity Minister Lord Douglas-Miller said: “We will continue to work with the industry.”
