Q&A: Bluetongue disease
Syptoms of bluetongue are generally worst in sheep
Government vets have confirmed bluetongue disease is circulating in the UK & Europe and is now classed as an outbreak.
What is bluetongue disease?
What is Bluetongue?
“Bluetongue is an insect-born
viral disease affecting all
ruminants. It cannot be
transmitted without a vector and
is spread by the Culicoides
midge, or ‘plankton of the air’.
The disease usually only
clinically manifests itself in
sheep, but the outbreak in
northern Europe is also resulting
in clinical signs in cattle, who are
the main reservoir for infection.
It has 24 serotypes, but none
have zoonotic, or human health,
implications. The northern
European serotype is BTV-8.
Before 2007, bluetongue was
thought of as an exotic disease.
Now it’s endemic to northern
Europe.”.
BLUETONGUE IN SHEEP
High body temperature
Drooling
Lameness
Swelling of the mouth, head and neck
Respiratory problems
First UK bluetongue case
Signs of the disease in species vary, but
key indicators include a high fever,
excessive salivation, swelling of the head
and neck, lameness and sometimes
discolouration of the tongue. According
to the Department for Environment Food
and Rural Affairs (Defra), in some
susceptible breeds of sheep up to 70%
of a flock can die from the virus.
Animals that survive the disease can
suffer long-term damage, such as a
reduction in meat and wool production.
The virus does not affect humans.
How is it spread?
It is passed on by midges. After a midge bites an infected
animal, the midge passes the infection on by biting an
uninfected animal.
Bluetongue cannot be transmitted directly between animals.
However, Defra says it cannot rule out transmission of the
virus between livestock by unhygienic practices, such as
using contaminated surgical
equipment or hypodermic needles.
How far can the midges travel?
Defra says initial studies have found that a midge
can travel approximately 1.5km (1 mile) to 2km
(1.2 miles) day.
BLUETONGUE IN CATTLE
Drooling
Swelling of the head and neck
Conjunctivitis
Swelling of the mouth
Swollen teats
Tiredness
However, in certain weather, midges can be carried much further, especially over water masses - up to 200km (124 miles).Such distances vary according to local environmental,
topographical and meteorological conditions, Defra says.
Will infected animals be culled?
Because bluetongue is spread by insects, Defra says compulsory slaughter of infected livestock would not normally be carried out. However, the first five infected animals in Suffolk were killed and tests conducted to determine whether bluetongue had spread to other animals.Government deputy chief vet Fred Landeg has ruled out a cull because the disease cannot be passed from animal to animal and it would not help stamp it out.
Where has the disease been found?
Bluetongue was first discovered in South Africa but has since been found in most countries in the tropics and sub-tropics.
BITING MIDGES
There are many species of the Culicoides midge, which is responsible for transmitting bluetongue disease The species Culicoides imicola is active in Africa, the Middle East, south Asia and southern Europe.In central and northern Europe, including the UK, Culicoides obsoletus is the most common, but Culicoides pulicaris is also active
The Scottish highland midge is Culicoides impunctatus. There are no known natural cases of it passing on bluetongue. Since August 2006, the virus has been found in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and northern France.
There have also been outbreaks of different strains of the disease in Greece, Italy, Corsica and the Balearic Islands since 1998. Cases have also occurred in Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia and Yugoslavia.
This is the first outbreak of the disease in the UK.
What restrictions are being placed on British farmers?
A 20km (12.4 miles) control zone is put in place around affected premises. The zone now includes parts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
Ruminant animals can move within the zone, but not out of it, except to slaughter in the wider protection zone which now extends approximately 400km (249 miles) from Lincolnshire to Sussex.
Farmers within the protection zone cannot transport livestock beyond the zone boundaries.
Can livestock be vaccinated against bluetongue?
There are no bluetongue vaccines suitable against the outbreak in northern Europe, according to Defra.
However, it said it would consider vaccination if one became available.
We will test if alpacas are sourced from Blue Tongue Zone (BTV), or survelliance zone./
*Exportation /Importation of live Alpacas
*We can supply or source alpacas to meet your needs, any colours, and in all quality and price range
*Price out your costings for planned shipment
*Obtaining all export permits from this country, and collating all the permit regulations for destination country.
*Organizing all government requirements to meet permit needs
*PEQ schedule to maintain that the requirements will be met to a time schedule and on time.
*Organizing crates for transport, and pressure clean and disinfect vehicles
*Managing stock to fit into the tight vet and Aqis schedules for testing and collating results and passing onto the required authorities and importer
*Keeping importer up to date with all that is happening at the facility.
*meeting the time schedules
*Keeping track of costings to keep to target as much as possible.
*Supply the Pre export Quarantine facility to house animals to meet the destination country's protocol.
*Constant supervision and security for the animals in quarantine
*Arrange for final health certificate for fitness for transportation
*transport animals to nearest airport ready for export
For Further details Please contact
Rob & Raelene, and Elyse Strong
on
Mob Raelene 0423 046 306
Elyse 0434 672 935
Home
+ 61 (0) 359 42 5722
+ 61 (0) 359 42 5722Email mariahhill@bigpond.com
Is your farm in a Blue tongue ZOne (BTV) or BTV Survellience Zone?
click here to find out http://www.namp.com.au/mapdownload.php please be aware, that we have to abide by the International leglislations of the OIE to assist in stopping the spread of BTV, alpacas sourced from these zones must be moved from the zones 60 days prior to export. No animals can be moved through a BTV zone to a BTV free Zone
Mariah Hill Exports is located in a BTV free Zone- there are no restrictions on any alpacas
purchased or moved from
Mariah Hill ALpaca Ranch & Pre export quarantine facility.
Sheep shedding fleece after being infected with BTV, click here for other clinical signs of BTV
