Update on Bluetongue Protection Zone Roll-Out

Update on Bluetongue Protection Zone Roll-Out

The Welsh Assembly Government last week announced its intention to declare the whole of Wales a Bluetongue Protection Zone around the end of August or the beginning of September.  The exact date is subject to the availability of Bluetongue vaccine and no new outbreak of the disease.
 However, the Welsh Assembly Government can confirm today [Friday, 15 August] that the declaration of the Protection Zone is not expected to be before Sunday 31 August.
 Wales Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christianne Glossop said: “The fact that farmers now know the declaration of the Protection Zone is not expected to be before Sunday 31 August will assist them with their planning over the next two weeks.  The situation with Bluetongue, however, can change very quickly and everyone must bear this in mind.

“Farmers who intend to take their animals to sales in the current disease free areas of Scotland and northern England, are advised to move them before the end of August to ensure that they are not caught out by the declaration of the Protection Zone in Wales.  They should also monitor Welsh Assembly

Government and DEFRA websites to obtain the latest position on the extension of Protection Zones into the free areas.

“My message continues to be to farmers that they must prepare to vaccinate.  There must be no complacency.  There have been some 4,000 new cases of Bluetongue in Northern Europe in the last few weeks and we must remember that the first case of Bluetongue in the UK last year occurred in September.  This is a period of high risk for the disease.

“Farmers must prepare to vaccinate now.  If they have not already done so I would ask them to contact their private vet and place their order immediately.  It is important that they take the opportunity to protect their livestock, their business and the industry as a whole. The consequences of not vaccinating when the opportunity comes could be very severe for individual farmers and the industry.”

The Welsh Assembly Government will have a stand at the Pembrokeshire Show, Denbigh and Flint Show, Meirionnydd Show and Monmouthshire Show.  Information on Bluetongue will be available at the stand. 
 Further information can be found on: www.wales.gov.uk/bluetongue.