Bluetongue - Vets President Outlines Challenge Facing Farming Industry, UK

Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 18 Feb 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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The British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Nick Blayney acknowledged that the arrival of the bluetongue virus presented a new and significant disease challenge to veterinary surgeons and their clients.

In a letter to the profession, published in the BVA's journal The Veterinary Record, Mr Blayney outlined the current state of play with the strategy being developed by Government and stakeholder groups to deal with the disease, including vaccination which, "for a host of reasons" he said, "was likely to be on a voluntary basis". Pointing out that an adequate level of uptake would be required to achieve significant national herd immunity Mr Blayney was clear that the situation "presented an opportunity for the profession to demonstrate yet again the value of a viable livestock veterinary sector to the nation.

"We must" he said "persuade our clients within the bluetongue protection zone of the necessity of mass vaccination and our target must be 100% - including all hobby farmers and keepers of more exotic susceptible species. The local veterinary practice is likely to be the first point of enquiry and has the opportunity to influence the uptake of vaccine and the likely success of the campaign."

"The key" according to Mr Blayney "is for the vaccine to be administered swiftly so that levels of immunity precede the further spread of the virus when the midge population becomes active and temperatures are sufficiently high for virus transmission to occur.

"The disease pattern witnessed in Northern Europe can have left no-one in doubt as to the gravity of the situation. Anecdotally, it appears that the lamb crop in areas of northern Europe may well be down by 30% and cattle production has been similarly adversely affected. Our fragile farming industry simply cannot afford this" Mr Blayney warned, "which is why other industry stakeholders are also working to spread the vaccination message."

The letter is available here.

British Veterinary Association

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