British Llama Society

Dear Member  

Bluetongue Serotype 8

Bluetongue 8 is one of 24 serotypes of the disease that first arrived in Northern Europe in 2006. It arrived in England in early August 2007 and so far 125 UK farms have been affected. Experiences in Holland indicate that 2008, the second year for the UK, will be a very difficult one with a much higher rate of infection.

Bluetongue 8 is a virus spread by midges [Culicoides species]. It affects all ruminants but not humans. It is recognised as one of the more virulent types of the disease and the rate of spread can be up to 10 km per day.

It is a notifiable disease and if you suspect infection in your animals you must inform your local Animal Health Office. 

In 2007, 50,000 farms across Europe were affected with considerable loss of life; for example, 27% of the Belgian sheep flock showed signs of the disease and 50% of those died. Losses in Holland were put at 100 million Euros. A number of infected farms in 2006 experienced re-infection again in 2007.

Bluetongue latest: You will probably have seen the press coverage of the fact that France has already had some BTv8 vaccine delivered.  This vaccine has come from Merial and is limited to around 1.3m doses which had already been produced as part of the development process. Interestingly, Merial are not ready to deliver any more vaccine in France as the French Government have gone to Intervet for their major early order for BTv8 vaccine. Merial did tender for the English vaccine bank but they could not deliver to the same timescale as Intervet and at this stage the Merial product is still not licensed for use in the UK.

Scotland has announced that it will be putting out a tender for vaccine for later this year and we understand that Wales is considering a further order, as is Defra for England. As far as availability is concerned, the production process is going well and whilst Intervet initially talked about 3 million doses being available in May in their statement last week, they have now publicly said that they hope to have 5 million doses ready for May.  

The English roll-out plan was launched last week, and guidance for vets and farmers was also published on the Defra website

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/index.htm

Starting with the highest risk areas in the South East and East Anglia, vaccine will be released to vets on a county-by-county basis. Campaign material will be targeted in sync with the vaccine roll-out programme. However, the clear message to all livestock farmers now is to contact your vet so that he/she is aware of your needs, even if an order cannot yet be placed.

Once sufficient supplies have been allocated to deal with the current Protection Zone (PZ), the PZ will be extended county by county until eventually either the whole of the Surveillance Zone, or preferably the whole of England has been covered.

Llamas do get Bluetongue

Llamas do get the disease, although they may not be as susceptible as some other species. Unfortunately, as llamas are not mainstream farm livestock, no official figures were collected. However, losses were recorded on one Alpaca on a Belgian farm and one in Germany. Farms generally reported abortions, loss of fertility, an 80% drop in conception rates, loss of weight and loss of milk yield very quickly due to high fever. This is the same in other species and the long-term effects have yet to be recorded.

Bluetongue is an economic disease; there is no slaughter policy, and no compensation is paid in any Member State. There is no cure except to nurse the animals (see the Defra website). Once complications set in, loss of life frequently follows. Vaccination is considered the only way to get rid of the disease, providing at least 80-85% of susceptible animals are vaccinated, and this is repeated in the two following years. 

Symptoms

Bluetongue has been likened to flu in so far that symptoms in the one herd can vary from none to chronic, yet all test positive (see the Defra website). Llamas have the same symptoms as other species - running eyes, swelling tongue, weight loss, etc. 

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease. You must report a suspected case to your local Animal Health Office. If you do not know where your local office is, please contact the BLS Secretary.

What do llama breeders/keepers need to do?

Firstly keep to the movement rules designed to slow the spread of disease (see the Defra website). Animals in the Free Zone can travel through the Surveillance Zone to the Protection Zone but may not go in the reverse direction.

Secondly, maintain good biosecurity. Be sure not to allow animals from the risk area on to your farm if you are in the Free Zone. If you are in the Surveillance Zone, allow nothing in from the Protection Zone. See the Defra website for the map of the Bluetongue zones which are changing weekly. There is an interactive map to enable you to find out which zone you are in.   Keep dung heaps away from animals and if possible covered. 

Thirdly, vaccinate. Book your vaccine requirements with your vet now. Vaccination must be done by your vet or under his/her guidance. The vaccine is only licensed for cattle and sheep and not for other species. Some priority research is being undertaken to check out the vaccine with alpacas and results will be published as soon as possible. The vaccine is a dead vaccine and should not give problems. Defra has ordered 22.5 million doses of vaccine and this will only be available under the cascade system from your vet, on a first-come first-served basis, so now is the time to order. Deliveries are due to start in May and vaccination will start in the Protection Zone.  The Protection Zone and the vaccination will then be rolled out across the country.   Vaccination is governed by UK and EU law. You may not vaccinate until your animals/holding are inside the Protection Zone. 

Please take Bluetongue very seriously. It affects you and your neighbours as well as the wider camelid and livestock industry. This explains why BLS and BAS have joined with the JAB (Joint campaign Against Bluetongue) joint livestock programme to raise awareness and encourage vaccination.

News - Scotland BT plans

It was announced on 9 April by Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead that the Scottish Government is set to order 12 million doses. Vaccination will be compulsory. There will be Government help only for first year in meeting 50% of the cost from the manufacturer up to

£3 million. 

There will be random testing with fines for non-compliance. It is not expected to be in use this Summer but plan to introduce in the Vector Free Period. A Scottish Bluetongue Stakeholder Group was set up in 2007.

(Information taken from Scotland CVO Professor Charles Milne writing in the Scottish Farmer 12 April 2008)

Bovine TB in Wales

On 8 April 2008, Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, announced a comprehensive plan to eradicate bovine TB in Wales, with a budget of £27 million funding over three years.

TB is having a devastating impact on the Welsh cattle herd with almost 8,000 cattle slaughtered in 2007 at a cost of £15 million. As at 31 December 2007, 2,078, or 16% of farms were under movement restrictions due to TB controls. If nothing is done, the problem will have doubled by 2012, which is obviously unsustainable.

There were at least two camelid farms under TB restrictions in Wales and deaths due to TB have occurred.

"From July 2008 there will be a consultation on a bovine TB surveillance and control framework for camelids such as alpacas and llamas. We need to deal with all sources of infection and keep the clean areas clean." said the Minister.

BAS and BLS have been involved in meetings with the Welsh Assembly and were aware that an announcement was due. Both breed societies welcome the Minister's commitment to eradicate bTB and will be involved in the consultations.

It is a sad fact that camelids do get bTB. It is a disease we must strive to eradicate as it not only affects animals but also humans. We will report to the membership once consultations have started.

With thanks to Richard Beale (BCL) for supplying some of the information for this bulletin.

Brenda Birmingham
Secretary - British Llama Society

Lower Braundsworthy, Shebbear, Beaworthy, Devon EX21 5TB
t: 01409 231704 e: llamarati@aol.com or Secretary@BritishLlamaSociety.com

British Llama Society - a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 04897204.
Registered office: Mansion House, Princes Street, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 1EP.