Livestock and dairy farmers must prepare for bluetongue vaccination from early May, says NFU East Midlands.
Today's Defra announcement on the vaccination roll-out strategy marks the beginning of the industry's preparations to tackle this potentially devastating disease. NFU is urging all livestock keepers to contact their vet and register their vaccination requirements, as soon as possible.
"Vaccination is the light at the end of the tunnel for livestock producers faced with stringent movement restrictions and distorted trading conditions," says NFU senior policy adviser, Simon Fisher. "Although this strategy roll-out is not the timetable for vaccination, it removes a little of the uncertainty. But producers will still be on tenterhooks about the race between the spread of the disease across England and the availability of the vaccine. The region's 1.25 million sheep and half a million cattle are in the front line of the fight against this potentially disastrous disease.
"It is good news that Intervet, the vaccine production company, will be able to supply between 3 and 5 million doses of vaccine from early May. This could mean that producers in the region will be able to access the vaccine through their vet from May, depending on its availability.
"NFU is holding four open meetings for producers around the region* from 1 – 8 May to bring them up to date on the latest situation," added Mr Fisher. "We need to raise awareness amongst the industry about the need to vaccinate stock as this is the only weapon to safeguard the welfare of their animals."
Simon Fisher continued: "NFU, together with many industry organisations has launched a vaccination campaign with the slogan: "Don't hesitate – vaccinate". During the next few weeks, livestock keepers across the region will receive information explaining the symptoms and effects of bluetongue and that vaccination is the only sure way of combating its effects.
"Veterinary experts have told us that at least 80% of the country's sheep, cattle, goats, farmed deer and camelids (llamas and alpacas, etc) must be vaccinated in order for the industry to have any chance of beating the virus. The affects of bluetongue are much worse in its second season, as experience from continental Europe has shown. It causes deaths, stillbirths and reduced productivity in sheep and cattle. Without the vaccination, our livestock industry will be devastated, so accessing the vaccine this spring must be producers' top priority."
The announcement will come as some relief to producers who are currently under severe financial pressure as the disease spreads north and west. A case of bluetongue near Spilsby in mid-March meant that eastern Lincolnshire was put within the Protection Zone and became subject to stringent movement restrictions and increased trading difficulties as they are denied access to their markets west of the Protection Zone line.
The roll-out programme puts the counties of the East Midlands into three priority zones: Lincolnshire (because some of the county is already in the Protection Zone) is in a higher priority area than Northants, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, North and North East Lincolnshire which come within the next priority area and Derbyshire producers will be programmed to receive their vaccination once the priority 3 area has been completed, although this could change depending on how rapidly the disease spreads.
