Bluetongue zone extends into Wales

The bluetongue restricted zone has been extended into Devon and south east Wales after confirmation of the disease on a farm near Poole in Dorset.

For the first time, parts of Wales are now within 150km of a confirmed case of Bluetongue disease.

In accordance with the UK Bluetongue Control Strategy and EU legislation, these parts are now in a restricted zone.

The restricted zone covers the counties of Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taf, the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot, Cardiff, Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil. A small area of Powys is also within the zone.

The same restrictions apply as in the surveillance zone which covers a large part of South East England and the Midlands.

Currently, animals can move from the zone into a disease free area subject to a negative pre-movement test. Once the ‘vector free period’ is over farmers within the restricted and surveillance zone will not be able to take their animals into the disease free area unless they are going direct to slaughter at an authorised slaughterhouse.

Animals can be taken into the zone from a free area but cannot return unless there is another “vector-free period”. Animals can travel within the zones.

Rural affairs minister Elin Jones said: “This is obviously unwelcome news for the farming industry in Wales, but it is not unexpected. I would remind everyone that the disease has not been found in Wales and that is how we want the situation to remain.

“We are working in close partnership with stakeholders in order to minimise the economic impact of this development and to keep Wales disease-free. We are in agreement that the current Restricted Zone does not, at this time, need to be extended further into Wales. The situation will be kept under constant review.”

Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, Dr Christianne Glossop, said: “I urge the farming industry to comply with movement restrictions as announced today. First each farmer needs to find out whether their own livestock are now within the newly defined restricted zone.”

The Welsh Assembly government has ordered 2.5m doses of the bluetongue vaccine which will become available later this year.