U-turn expected on Scottish bluetongue decision to counter a ‘flare-up’ of the disease this summer

THE Scottish Government is expected to confirm a reversal of its position on bluetongue vaccination after it meets livestock sector stakeholders next week.

The news came as George Milne, the National Sheep Association’s development officer, addressed farmers meeting at Duns in the Scottish Borders.

Until last week, the majority of livestock representatives in Scotland, and the Scottish Government, opposed vaccination and were hoping a tough attitude on imports from Europe, and the post-movement testing of in-coming stock from England and Wales, would protect the Scottish industry.

However both government and industry leaders are now expecting an order for 12million doses of bluetongue vaccine.

The order is expected to be placed by Scotland’s chief vet immediately after the stakeholder meeting and will be used to protect all of Scotland’s susceptible ruminants.

The delay came as EU rules demand that only livestock within a bluetongue protection zone (PZ) can be vaccinated, and Scotland had come under growing pressure to maintain its Free Area status.

Free Area status had allowed the unimpeded live delivery of non-vaccinated stock to other countries that were also free of bluetongue controls and allowed Scottish farmers to avoid tight movement restrictions

“The message had been to keep Scotland free of restriction for as long as possible because 2,000 live lambs a week were being exported to the Republic of Ireland and the regular delivery of live cows and other slaughter stock to Northern Ireland was boosting ex-farm prices too,” said George Milne.

“Being in the Free Area has helped this trade, but it is now obvious that Scotland must vaccinate against bluetongue this summer to counter expected flare-ups and that this is done quickly and properly.”

It is expected the Scottish Government will not order vaccine from Intervet, which is manufacturing 22.5million doses for Defra, but will use another company so it can avoid the queue and speed up delivery.

The strategy for vaccination in Scotland is not yet clear and with some industry representatives favouring a compulsory approach, the additional bureaucracy could delay vaccine distribution even further.

The likelihood of a bluetongue vaccination strategy received a mixed reaction from the Scottish industry this week.

Speaking at NFU Scotland’s annual meeting, Scotland’s chief vet, Charles Milne said the country should be kept a free area for as long as possible.

He said Scotland’s trade with Northern Ireland was a key factor in maintaining the country’s free status.

The Northern Ireland authorities were particularly anxious the country should remain bluetongue free as they did not want to be seen to be introducing bluetongue into the Irish Republic.

He said research indicated that bluetongue could spread from an infected area at the rate of about 15km per year, meaning that, at present, it was likely to be a long time before the disease could reach Scotland.

A vaccination programme will also bring complications, he warned, with Scotland having to declare a PZ in order to vaccinate livestock.

This would allow infected animals to be brought into Scotland from other PZs across the EU and Charles Milne warned that any vaccination programme should therefore begin in winter to protect animals prior to the high risk summer months.

NFUS also heard from cabinet secretary for rural affairs, Richard Lochhead, who said there was a clear industry desire to keep Scotland free of the disease and associated restrictions for as long as possible, but there was no permanent right answer in dealing with disease.

He also claimed the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth and bluetongue had highlighted the inadequacies of current arrangements with the UK Government, where the Scottish Government had policy responsibility for animal health and welfare, but little influence over decisions in Whitehall about funding.

The decision to vaccinate was welcomed by bluetongue experts this week, among them Dr Ruth Watkins – a virologist who has advised Defra and the European Commission on vaccine policies.

They warned that the most effective programmes begin in winter, well before the first infected midges re-emerge, and while this year’s activities will help to curb disease spread, a better targeted and more coordinated campaign will be essential in 2009.

They also said that vaccines in Scotland, England and Wales would arrive too late in the season to be fully effective – and that there will be gaps in vaccine cover because not enough doses have been ordered to cover all susceptible ruminants.

“But Defra should be praised for being the first EU government [department] to take vaccination seriously and set in train moves that are the only way to prevent serious long term damage from BTV8 and pave the way to eradication,” said Dutch vet Dr Daan Dercksen who was speaking at Duns, Scotland.

According to specialists, full eradication of bluetongue serotype 8 in north-west Europe would rest on a cross-EU effort requiring at least 150million doses of vaccine annually over a three year period and properly coordinated distribution in all member states.

So far, the only countries to order vaccine are England and The Netherlands – which has ordered six million doses.

Dr Watkins told farmers ‘limitless’ volumes of bluetongue vaccine would be available across the EU by winter 2009, but until then it would be impossible to raise a completely effective barrier against disease spread.

She said: “Vaccine used in Britain this summer will help to suppress the level of virus being carried by the midge population, especially if it is directed first at cattle.

“This in turn will reduce the number of infected sheep and limit the economic damage caused by infection in both species – but it will not prevent infection spread entirely.

“Britain must try to use vaccine this year even though it will not arrive at the perfect time and its distribution will be imperfect. However it is important that is distributed before August.”

Specialists were keen a marker vaccine, which would allow vaccination to be confirmed through a blood test, should replace the current vaccine.