Your questions answered on bluetongue vaccination ahead of voluntary scheme

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The Met Office and the Institute for Animal Health have calculated when infectious midges are most likely to be active in the UK and when they will die off in the winter, demonstrating the risk period for spread of bluetongue.

When will the vaccine be ready?

The Government has ordered 22.5million doses from pharmaceutical company Intervet, 20million for England and 2.5million for Wales.

The first batch, around 2.5million doses, is expected to be available in May. Further batches should then be delivered in stages over the course of the summer.

Where will vaccination be targeted?

Vaccination will begin in the current Protection Zone (PZ), where disease is most likely to re-emerge in the spring. The aim is to vaccinate to the Surveillance Zone (SZ) boundary as soon as delivery allows.

EU rules do not allow vaccination in the Free Area or the SZ, so the PZ will gradually be extended to allow more farmers the opportunity to purchase vaccine. This will be staged, possibly with some further prioritisation on a risk basis if vaccine is not delivered quickly enough. The south coast may be given priority, for example, due to the risk of disease coming from France.

If initial vaccine supplies are not sufficient to cover the whole PZ, Defra may declare an area a Bluetongue Vaccination Zone in which vaccine will be available to buy.

Again, this will be done taking a risk-based approached, targeting those areas most at risk from disease. The intention is ultimately to expand the PZ to the whole of England and vaccinate accordingly as soon as supplies are available.

In Wales, 2.5million doses of vaccine have been ordered. As there is currently no PZ in Wales it is still unclear how vaccination would proceed.

It is expected that, should it feel there is an immediate risk of the disease spreading in a particular area, the Welsh Assembly Government could declare a PZ, in which it would then be allowed to vaccinate. More details on a strategy are expected in the coming weeks.

Scotland is expected to order 12million doses next week to protect against disease arriving from England and Wales or from northern Europe.

Its strategy is currently unclear as, with no cases of bluetongue in Scotland to date, there is no PZ in which to vaccinate.

Will vaccination be compulsory?

No. Defra and the core group of industry representatives advising it have opted for a ‘simple mass vaccination programme, with farmers purchasing vaccine and using it voluntarily’.

It was felt a voluntary approach would be less bureaucratic, quicker and cheaper.

Some vets and farmers have argued a compulsory programme is necessary to ensure as many livestock keepers as possible vaccinate their animals.

According to NFU head of food and farming Kevin Pearce, a compulsory policy would have come with ‘bells and whistles’ attached that would have delayed progress and added costs.

For example, there would be a requirement for a vet to be present whenever vaccination takes place, strict identification measures and additional paperwork.

The one exception could be the farms that have already been infected, which numbered 80 at the start of this week. These are seen as the absolute priority as they are the most likely sources of the virus returning in the spring summer.

Defra has said that if those farmers do not take up the vaccine, then it could be made compulsory on their premises.

Will there be enough vaccine?

Previous experience of vaccinating for bluetongue in other countries has shown that at least 80 per cent of susceptible animals need to be vaccinated in order for the strategy to be effective.

It is expected that 22.5million doses will be enough to ensure 80 per cent take-up in England, but there are provisions for Defra to order more vaccine if it becomes necessary.

There have been calls for Wales to place a further order, as 2.5 million is insufficient to ensure an 80 per cent coverage rate. Again, there are provisions for the Welsh Assembly Government to make an additional order if necessary.

Where will farmers get vaccine from?

The vaccine will be sold as a prescription-only medicine, available from a private vet.

The individual farmer is responsible for administering the vaccine once it has been prescribed by the vet.

If an animal is being vaccinated prior to domestic movement or export, certification (and therefore potentially, supervision) by a private or state vet may be required.

Defra is currently working with veterinary organisations to develop guidance on the potential requirements for veterinary certification.

How often will animals need to be vaccinated?

In sheep, the primary course of vaccination will consist of one dose. In cattle, it will consist of two doses given three to four weeks apart.

Single, annual booster vaccinations will be required to maintain immunity, provided Defra decides the vaccination programme should continue.

How much will it cost to vaccinate?

Initial estimates from Defra put the cost at around 60 pence per dose. This will vary depending on the size of bottle the farmer buys. The vaccine will be available in 50ml (50 doses) and 20ml (20 doses) bottles.

The cost may vary with veterinary fees and with some farmers requiring supervision, the cost may increase further.

However, the industry is currently in discussion to provide as much transparency as possible when it comes to the cost.

The aim is ensure the price remains as low as possible.

Will I need to vaccinate all my animals?

The vaccine is currently licensed for use on cattle and sheep. An advisory states the vaccine should not be used on animals under four months.

This does not mean newborn animals cannot be protected. If the vaccine is administered to an animal prior to calving or lambing, immunity is passed from the mother to the offspring through the colostrum.

Will I need to use a new needle for each animal?

No. If an infected animal is vaccinated, it is possible for the virus to be spread via the needle. Farmers are advised to clean needles after each vaccination to ensure it remains sterile.

How long will the vaccination programme be in place?

The vaccination programme must stay in place for at least three years. If after that time there are no new cases, vaccination may stop. Should new cases continue to occur, then the programme will remain in place until one year after the last reported infection.

What will be the movement rules for vaccinated animals?

Farmers must wait 60 days after vaccination before they can move vaccinated animals out of the PZ into a Free Area or SZ. They can be moved after just 14 days following a PCR test demonstrating immunity against the virus. But with testing costs to be covered by the farmer, it is unlikely this option will be used on a large scale.

Movement will become easier for farmers currently in the PZ as the zone boundary is expanded to accommodate vaccination.

Will vaccinated animals need to be identified?

Vaccinated animals will not have to be individually identified, but will need to be recorded at a flock or herd level.

If animals are vaccinated prior to domestic movement, individual numbers must be recorded so movement can be permitted alongside a veterinary certificate. If animals are vaccinated with a view to live export to the continent, they must be performed by a vet, with individual numbers recorded.

Why should I vaccinate my livestock?

The second year of the bluetongue outbreak in northern Europe was far more devastating than the first, with thousands of animals dying and many more suffering reduced productivity and infertility.

In Belgium 100 animals were infected in 2006. In 2007, the virus affected around 6,000 farms, with over 40 per cent of infected sheep and more than 17 per cent of infected cattle dying.

Without vaccination, a similar situation is expected in the UK in 2008. Farmers are encouraged to weigh up the relatively low cost of vaccination against the potentially devastating personal economic losses of an outbreak on their farm. There is no compensation for bluetongue.

There is also a wider argument that mass vaccination appears the only way to contain and ultimately eradicate the disease, or at least keep it down to manageable levels on a national level.

Farmers are also urged to vaccinate for the long-term good of the industry.

It is hoped similar vaccination programmes in Europe will be effective and this could be the key to ensuring the UK remains disease-free, ensuring infected animals are not imported from the continent.