19 Mar 2026
A new appeal has been issued for farmers to protect their herds and flocks before the risk grows once more.
Allister Webb
Job Title
A new drive has been launched for farmers to “beat the bite” by vaccinating their flocks and herds against bluetongue before midge activity increases once again.
Vets and industry leaders have warned vaccination is “the only reliable protection” against the virus as they urged producers to contact their own clinicians now.
Although the current risk of vector-based spread is considered “negligible” because of low temperatures, senior figures say the vaccines need several weeks to provide the maximum possible protection.
Vet Phil Thomas, from the Iechyd Da livestock network in Wales, said the vaccines were now “the only tool left in the box”.
He added: “Vaccination is an insurance policy, get yourselves the best cover possible.”
According to latest available data, 296 BTV cases have been confirmed in England since the current season began last July, including 24 since mid-February.
A further 22 incidents have also been confirmed in Wales, along with another five in Northern Ireland.
Sheep specialist and Flock Health director Fiona Lovatt described bluetongue as a “horrible disease” that has already caused a large number of sheep deaths and significant cattle fertility issues in the UK.
She said: “If I had valuable stock, I would definitely be vaccinating my breeding cows and ewes.
“They need to be fully protected by least three weeks before June and, for cattle that means having had both doses by then.
“Vaccination is the only reliable protection against the disease”
Meanwhile, NFU Cymru president Abi Reader said she “didn’t hesitate” to have her calving herd vaccinated despite many being at different stages of pregnancy at the time.
She added: “The risk to their health from the virus was simply far greater than the risk of vaccination.”
Although most recorded cases so far have been of the BTV-3 strain, the latest confirmed incident in Cornwall on 6 March was only the second that was found to be solely of the BTV-8 type. Seven others have seen both BTV-3 and BTV-8 detected.