Bluetongue BTV-3

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an infectious, non-contagious, vector-borne viral disease. It affects wild and domestic ruminants such as sheep, goats, cattle, deer and camelids. The first case of BTV-3 in the UK was confirmed in England on November 10, 2023.

The bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) outbreak in the Netherlands in 2023 caused severe clinical signs in ruminants. The clinical signs observed in affected animals during the 2023 BTV-3 outbreak seem to be more severe than those observed during the BTV-8 outbreak between 2006 and 2008. Our current advise is to vaccinate all breeding stock, including tups and bulls.

Read our latest Bluetongue Newsletter HERE

To watch the Mart Presentation please click HERE

To order or read more about the vaccine please click HERE

WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS PAGE UPDATED WITH ANY INFORMATION AND COMMS FOR YOU ALL

USEFUL LINKS:

AHDB Vaccine Calculator: Vaccination cost calculator launched to help Battle Bluetongue | AHDB

DEFRA Site: Bluetongue: news, information and guidance for livestock keepers – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Welsh Government Site: Bluetongue virus (BTV) | GOV.WALES

Live Bluetongue Map: Bluetongue Cases and Zones (arcgis.com)

So a little more about BTV- 3 and what you need to know:

THE SPREAD:

Requires a vector

Direct animal to animal spread not possible
Main vector is Culicoides midge (C. obsoletus in UK)
Requires constant temperature >12 deg C to allow transmission
Midges advance 2 – 8km per day
Wind plumes can accelerate spread in to new areas

Biosecurity

Moving infected animals can move virus to new areas
Moving infected midges can move virus to new areas
Needles – blood contamination – if injecting groups of animals for any reason during bluetongue season, change needles frequently.
Germplasm – definitely in semen, probably not in ova and embryos

WHY ARE WE SEEING DIFFERENT PRESANTATIONS OF THIS ACROSS THE UK:

Not linked to virus itself – structure of BTV-3 virus has not significantly altered from Europe to UK
Observation of more severe clinical signs in individuals as infection rate within a herd and within an area increases
Possibly linked to viral load in the local midge population and therefore linked to local livestock density
Initial outbreak in the Netherlands was in an area of high livestock density, entry into the UK was in a very low livestock dense area – this will quickly change
Message from abroad – do not wait for mammalian carriers to amplify the severity of an outbreak, vaccinate promptly!

TRANSMISSION

Vector-borne transmission:

The main mode of transmission is through the bite of infected Culicoides midges.

Midge activity:

Midges are most active during warmer months (April to November), which aligns with the period when bluetongue outbreaks are most common.

Animal movement:

Movement of infected animals, including ruminants and camelids, and their germinal products (semen, ova, embryos) can spread the virus.

Mother-to-offspring transmission:

BTV-3 can also be transmitted from a pregnant animal to its offspring