Bluetongue proving difficult to diagnose

Bluetongue may be far wider spread than is currently thought should the experience of one affected farmer be repeated across the UK.

Beckley, Rye-based Frank Langrish said the disease is difficult to spot in fit, healthy sheep and particularly hard to notice in beef animals and affected animals seem to recover quickly. “We’ve had two rams with what are defined as classic bluetongue symptoms, slightly swollen heads and nasal discharge and a high temperature.

“But we’ve had other sheep on different holdings which I believe to be infected and these have shown much milder symptoms, simply looking a little hunched up and off colour for a day and then recovering quickly. Even the rams are fit again and were happily chewing their cud a couple of days later.”

Bloodtesting of all sheep and cattle on the holding where the infected rams are kept found no more sheep with the disease or indeed antibodies to it, but did find five cattle out of 19 which were sero-positive for bluetongue and were also carrying antibodies against the disease. “This suggests they were infected some time ago and have recovered. But they haven’t shown any sign of infection at all and have maintained condition all summer,” he explained.

Mr Langrish believes many other farmers may have seen the disease earlier this summer and assumed it was something else. “We certainly saw some wether lambs with odd symptoms back in the summer, but didn’t for one minute think it was bluetongue. They had a swelling of the pizzle which resulted in a blocked urethra. This again was difficult to spot and we lost about four lambs out of 3000. Treatment with antibiotics has saved a few of them.

“And we have seen a few ewes which were ill, but these came right again in a few days, some of these were treated and some weren’t,” said Mr Langrish.

However, while the disease may be tricky to diagnose, farmers must remain vigilant, warned NSA chief executive Peter Morris. “Anyone spotting any susceptible animal with possible bluetongue symptoms or anything questionable should contact their vet immediately.

“Thankfully, we’re seeing quite mild symptoms at the moment, but this mirrors what was seen on Continental Europe last year and then the disease exploded there this spring. We have to ensure we know where the disease is this autumn, so we are prepared for what may happen next year.”

Read about Frank Langrish’s experience of bluetongue on our forums