A bluetongue disease control framework webinar will be chaired by the joint honorary secretary of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA).
Kate Bond, who is also the veterinary technical advisor at National Milk Records PLC, will chair the bluetongue webinar on Wednesday, June 12, from 3:00p.m-4:30p.m.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said, through its series of webinars, it continues to provide timely and accurate updates on the current bluetongue situation.
During this particular meeting, the spotlight will be on the disease control framework for England. There will also be an opportunity for Q&As with the speakers.
Those who wish to attend the webinar but are unable to can still register for it and be sent a recording afterwards.
Disease framework
On May 23, the UK government set out how it will work with the farming industry to manage outbreak of bluetongue virus (BTV) in England this year.
The virus is a notifiable exotic disease that is primarily transmitted by midge bites and it affects ruminants like sheep, cattle, deer and goats as well as camelids (e.g. llamas).
The Bluetongue Serotype 3 Disease Control Framework was developed in discussion with the farming industry to set out how disease control efforts will focus on movement control of susceptible animals and their germinal products.
It will act as a precautionary tool to stem spread of the disease until a safe and effective vaccine for bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) becomes widely available.
The last confirmed case of bluetongue was on January 19. It was confirmed in a cow on the Norfolk/Suffolk border as part of ongoing surveillance at the time.
On Monday, February 19, the Kent and Norfolk temporary control zones (TCZs) were lifted.
The government is working hard to facilitate safe access to a BTV-3 vaccine as soon as possible, including actively engaging with vaccine manufacturers, but it is vital that any vaccine has the confidence of industry, consumers and trading partners.
Chief veterinary officer, Dr. Christine Middlemiss said: “The Bluetongue Disease Control Framework sets out how we will work to minimise the impact of a potential outbreak of disease, using the latest scientific and veterinary advice to reduce disease transmission as much as possible.”
The framework confirms that upon first detection of disease in England, 20km movement control zones will likely be established to prevent the movement of potentially infected animals and germinal products transporting disease to new locations.
Movement control zones will be no bigger than is necessary to contain and slow disease spread.
They will be kept under constant review and will be modified or withdrawn when they are no longer proportionate if disease circulation becomes widespread.
