Net-Tex Industries, the UK's leading producer of midge and other insect repellent sprays and creams for use on livestock, has produced a new midge repellent formulation which the company hopes will help combat bluetongue before a successful vaccine is developed.

Tony Meakin, Managing Director of Net-Tex, believes many of the lessons learned by UK and South African development trials could be applied to Bluetongue prevention in Britain. “Midges must be prevented from biting hosts to prevent infection. Reliance on insecticides (which aim to kill the midge) are less effective as the midge must bite the host to ingest the poison. The midge may die but only after it has infected the host with the virus!”

A repellent product must show longevity/residuality. It must last for at least 2 to 3 days, but must show controlled release throughout the 2 to 3 day residual period. “We use technology from the perfume industry to achieve these objectives with our specific midge repellent ingredients” Tony said.

Net-Tex says it will be working alongside DEFRA and government vets in their attempts to lessen the impact of this disease.