The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSE NI) have agreed that the suspension of imports of breeding cattle and sheep from Bluetongue restricted zones will continue until a proposed amendment to the European Bluetongue Regulation can come into effect. This amendment will strengthen movement controls on pregnant animals from such zones.
In response to this, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) is tightening the import conditions applying to those breeding and production animals which can still be imported. If susceptible animals are imported from anywhere in Britain or from other Member States, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland, then a series of additional conditions will apply. These include holding the animals in isolation, cleansing the isolation unit afterwards and treating all imported animals with an approved insecticide when they arrive.
In other Bluetongue news, a vaccine manufacturer has warned that farmers in Northern Ireland could find themselves without protection against the disease this summer. Supplies of the vaccine are limited, and the DARD has not yet placed an order. It would require millions of doses to control an outbreak in cattle and sheep. Government vets in England and Wales have already ordered 22.5 million doses, with Scotland expected to follow soon.
However, the DARD have stressed that as Northern Ireland is a Bluetongue free region they are in a different position. "Because the vaccine has a limited shelf life we have decided not to order it, but we will continue to monitor the situation carefully in line with veterinary advice."
