Bluetongue - Latest Information


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Defra Information -

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/control/vaccination/index.htm

National Farmers Union -

http://www.nfuonline.com/x26679.xml

 


Bluetongue Update 9th May 2008


Defra has announced that the Bluetongue Protection Zones will be extended and merged on Monday 12 May, following the delivery of additional doses of Bluetongue vaccine.


Vaccination is only permitted within the Protection Zone therefore in accordance with the Bluetongue vaccination plan, the Protection Zones will be merged by extending the zones into all of Hampshire and West Sussex. The Protection Zone will also be extended into all of Lincolnshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The Surveillance Zone is unaffected.


Livestock keepers in the areas coming into the Protection Zone on Monday (which will include all of Hampshire) will be able to obtain vaccine from that date. They are encouraged to order vaccine so that they can protect their livestock at the earliest opportunity.


A copy of the declaration and map can be found on the Defra website at:



The vector free period has now ended as of the 15 March 2008 .


From 15 March no animals are permitted to move out of the Restricted Zone (under vector free period movement rules) and movement restrictions have returned to those which were in place before the Vector Free Period was declared on 20 December 2007 .


The continuing main effect within the areas caught in the Protection Zone is that ruminant animals can only be moved out of that area by complying with the appropriate licensing conditions. These are:


Movement to slaughter from a Protection Zone to an area free from restrictions:



Movement to slaughter from a Protection Zone to the Surveillance Zone



Movement out of a Protection Zone or a Surveillance Zone



NB. There are other licences that deal with general movements and movements from the Surveillance Zone.


These can all be found on the DEFRA Website – see:



In general the controls on movements are still in place as detailed below:


From 21 December, movements to live outside of the Bluetongue zones are permitted, subject to compliance with specific conditions. Livestock keepers may also apply to have land which they occupy within 8km of the Bluetongue Surveillance Zone to be designated as part of that zone.


The EU Commission Regulation 1266/2007 on Bluetongue allows the movement of ruminant animals out of a protection or surveillance zone under certain conditions. This is to minimise the risk of infected animals moving to a disease free area of the UK or EU.


The vector free period (VFP) is a time during the winter when the evidence shows that midge activity is at its lowest. The risk of transmission is therefore very low. . Based on historical data, such a period of low vector activity may continue into March 2008, but this will be kept under review with consideration of midge activity and weather conditions. This has now been reviewed and the Vector Free Period will cease on the 15th March 2008 .


General information can be found on the DEFRA Website at:



The DEFRA website also has an interactive map to check if you are in the affected zone. This can be found at: