Suffolk farmers on alert as bluetongue control zone extended

The animal disease control zone centres around the Norfolk Broads but takes in an area of East Suffolk around Fritton, near Somerleyton, which lies near Lowestoft.

On January 19, a single case of bluetongue virus in one bovine animal on the Norfolk/Suffolk border as part of ongoing surveillance. The government said there was currently no evidence that there is circulating virus.

There is no vaccine available for bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) - a potentially fatal virus which affects ruminants including cattle, sheep, goats, deer and camelids and which has been confirmed in Kent and Norfolk.

It is believed to have been transmitted through bites from midges blown across the English Channel from Continental Europe - where the disease is present - during September or October.

So far there have been 62 bluetongue cases in England over 38 premises. Of these, 21 cases were discovered in Norfolk, with the first infected animals found on a farm near Cantley in the Broads on December 8.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed at the weekend that two cattle on a holding near Norwich had bluetongue as it widened its control zone.

"The positive animals will not be culled but will be restricted at their current locations and disease mitigation measures will be taken. This reflects a recent reduction in the midge activity, reducing the risk of onward transmission," the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said.

"As these two animals were grazing on land just outside of the temporary control zone (TCZ) during the high-risk period, the TCZ has been extended."

Farmer Nicola Chapman, who keeps a herd of Belted Galloway cattle near Beccles, said although she was just outside the zone it was a worrying situation.

"Our farm is just outside at the moment but we have got summer grazing in the area and they have contacted us and I think we may be tested even though we are outside the area," she said.

"People I'm speaking to are really quite worried about it."

She was among around 400 worried farmers who attended an urgent meeting on January 15 at Dunston Hall, south of Norwich with DEFRA and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) officials and industry organisations.

"Most people came away with the feeling it's not going to be a good year for it and the zone is going to be extended quite considerably," said Nicola. "We are really anxious."

Those within the zones weren't able to get their store cattle off and needed to feed them. "It's got a lot of implications," she said.

They were taking it seriously, she said, adding that it potentially had big implications for her business going forward.

"We are just sitting tight and waiting to see what's happening," she said. "I honestly think the zone is going to be increased big time in the next few weeks."

Waveney Valley dairy farmer Jonathan Crickmore who has around 900 animals in total - mainly Montbéliardes - at his farm near Bungay, which lies outside of the restricted zone.  He said there was little that farmers could do against midges. 

"We have been here before," he said. Around 15 or so years ago his entire herd was vaccinated against a bluetongue strain following an outbreak.

"It's something we should be conscious of but the thing is there's just nothing you can do. You can't stop midges coming on your farm," he said.

"As a farmer you just expect the next problem to come. You can only do so many things - keeping your animals away from the risky zones and just really being careful."

If you suspect bluetongue, government vets say you must report it immediately by calling 03000 200 301.