The BVA has added its voice to calls for the suspension of imports of cattle and sheep from areas where the bluetongue virus is known to be circulating.
Following yesterday’s announcement by Defra that BTV1 (Bluetongue Serotype 1) had been detected in five cattle imported from a Restricted Zone in the south west of France, BVA President Nicky Paull said: “I am saddened, but not surprised, that the actions of some are putting our livestock here in the UK at risk. As long as some farmers continue to import stock from these areas we will continue to see this problem and we therefore believe that the only answer is to suspend imports. We also see absolutely no reason why compensation should be paid to those who have risked the health and welfare of the national flock and herd.
“My advice to farmers still is to vaccinate against BTV8 if you have not done so already. If you did vaccinate during the summer then plan to boost protection at the end of the winter period so your stock is protected next summer. With no vaccine currently licensed for BTV1 however, do not import livestock from mainland Europe - we should not rely on the hope of a BTV1 vaccine in time to prevent serious problems next summer if we buy this new strain of bluetongue virus into the UK.”
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The 2001 outbreak of FMDV was a shining example of how the current system of farming involving large movements of stock large distances including across obvious geographical borders was not in the interests of biosecurity of the UK as a country, and also of farmers as a business.
Whilst large numbers of cattle and sheep continue to be imported/exported, and the current agricultural market system continues, the UK will never be safe from new diseases, which will spread rapidly throughout the country.
Is it likely that BTV will be transported to other islands? I doubt it. Any other island which relies on agriculture to the extent that we do has far stricter regulations on the movement of livestock and livestock products across their borders - take Australia and New Zealand for example.
Once again Britain is the creator of its own downfall.