With more than 32,000 cases of bluetongue in France last
year and the arrival of BTV1, French farmers and vets are well
versed in bluetongue vaccination.
With temperatures approaching the mid-teens, an ideal
temperature for midge activity, it is only a matter of time before
bluetongue cases appear. And with 27,766 BTV8 cases in France last
year and 4837 cases of BTV1, it is no surprise most French
producers are already ahead with vaccination.
Compulsory vaccination for both BTV8 and BTV1 in France means
all animals older than 2.5 months have to be vaccinated before 30
April 2009.
However, according to Brittany vet Christian Huaux, it is
unlikely all animals will be vaccinated by this date. "With French
legislation only allowing vets to administer vaccines, it means we
are under pressure to get all animals done. Already our practice in
Dinan has administered 27,000 doses," he says.
And while there is little resistance from farmers to vaccinate
because of the financial penalty for non compliance, the lack of
symptoms seen in Brittany made it more difficult to persuade
producers to vaccinate before it being compulsory, says Mr
Huaux.
"In north-east France, where most severe symptoms were seen,
farmers vaccinated to prevent the situation getting worse. However,
farmers in this region were more reluctant because symptoms were
only mild, like conjunctivitis and slight temperatures, with many
cases probably going unnoticed," he says.
The range of symptoms within a single strain of bluetongue is
down to levels of husbandry, believes Mr Huaux. "In Brittany most
farmers work closely with their vets on animal health, meaning
animals with better levels of husbandry are under less stress and
less susceptible to disease. However, to control bluetongue
vaccination is essential," he explains.
One producer who views vaccination as a cheap form of insurance
against a potentially costly disease and is not willing to take a
risk is Nivillac dairy farmer Nigel Ford. Although Mr Ford hasn't
seen bluetongue in his 30-cow high genetic herd, losing a cow would
cost more than vaccination, he says.
"With BTV1 and BTV8 moving up from south-east France last year
we were placed in an observation zone. For me this meant there was
a real risk cows could contract the disease, so we didn't think
twice about vaccinating.
"Averaging about 10,000 litres means there is not much room to
play with and losing just one cow out of the small herd would
significantly affect the amount of milk produced."
Mr Ford, who used to farm in Oswestry, but has been living in
France for the more than two years, says the small backyard farmers
going unnoticed and the wild deer population are major concerns
since they could be harbouring disease.
"If animals are not tagged and are not in the system, then they
won't get vaccinated and, although bluetongue has not been a
problem in this region, I still recognise the benefits in
vaccinating."
Vaccination has not been a problem for Mr Ford, who says it took
the vet just 10 minutes to inject 30 cows with the two separate
bluetongue vaccinations. "It is not a great cost to vaccinate and
in fact last year it was subsidised by the government, although I
am not sure of the situation this year. Admittedly having
electronic identification has helped as everything is recorded
automatically."
Bluetongue going endemic is not something Mr Ford believes will
happen in France. "The Groupement de Défense Sanitaire (GDS)
involved in the management of animal health is so stringent it
doesn't even let diseases like BVD and IBR go endemic, as is the
case in the UK. Animals are being tested all the time and having a
clean herd is important if you want to trade," he says.