Farmers and National Farmers’ Union (NFU) members in and around the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) can now access and call a dedicated bluetongue hotline to get advice, or ask questions linked to the current situation.
The bluetongue hotline is available Monday-Friday from 9:00a.m to 5:00p.m, to support farmers affected following the confirmed case near Canterbury, Kent on November 11, 2023.
Farmers in the south-east of England have been notified that a surveillance zone in place because of a case of bluetongue virus (BTV) is to be extended.
Farmers will be signposted to the Ruminant Health & Welfare bluetongue hub for the most up-to-date information and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for queries relating to surveillance testing.
Farmers have also been advised to keep track of details on available licenses for any animal movements from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Bluetongue advice
Chair of the Ruminant Health & Welfare bluetongue working group, Dr. Joseph Henry said:
“If you farm animals in or around the TCZ, or are a smallholder with sheep, cattle or camelids, please do ensure you are registered with your paperwork up-to-date, to allow routine disease surveillance to be undertaken so we can build an accurate picture of the disease situation.”
BTV is transmitted by midge bites. It affects cows, goats, sheep and camelids such as llamas.
Suspicion of BTV in animals in England must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
The current temporary surveillance zone within 3km of the BTV case was expected to be finished by Sunday, (November 19).
However, according to Dr. Henry, plans for further surveillance will then begin in a wider 10km zone and farmers are “being updated with more details in due course”.
