Questions raised as more imported cattle test positive for BTV8

The infections – all bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV8) - were discovered following routine post-import testing and will raise serious questions about why farmers in England are continuing to import from high risk areas on the continent.

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The latest case comes as Defra came under growing pressure this week in the House of Lords to ban imports from areas on the continent where disease is circulating.

Liberal Democrat peers this week urged Ministers to introduce emergency import restrictions to prevent a ‘catastrophe’ following the discovery of BTV1 on a farm near Blackpool last month.

Lord Tyler, a former agricultural spokesman in the House of Commons accused the Government of ‘dithering’ while Lord Livesey of Talgarth warned there could be serious repercussions if the issue is not tackled.

He said: “To avoid a catastrophe it is essential that action should be taken now to prevent imports of live cattle and sheep into the UK, which I believe would be a disaster for farming livestock systems in the UK.”

Defra Minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath responded by saying Defra and industry stakeholders had decided that a ‘proportionate response’ was the best way forward.

At present, Defra would struggle to impose an import ban, but proposals put out by EU vets earlier this month could see that change.

Defra is currently discussing the proposals, which could see England re-classified as a ‘vaccination with no disease circulation’ zone.

This would effectively ban imports from areas such as France, Holland and Germany where disease is rife.

The risk from the latest cases of imported BTV8 is thought to be minimal, with cold weather reducing the virus' ability to replicate is vector midges.

But despite the low risk, farmers are advised to avoid imports from high risk areas as there is still the chance disease could overwinter here in the UK.

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