BLUE TOUNGUE VACCINE TOO LITTLE TOO LATE?
January 11, 2008 4:54 PM
Nick Harvey MP for North Devon says: 'I have been informed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that the Government has ordered over 20 million does of Bluetongue Vaccine on advice from the deputy Chief veterinary Officer.
'However, while this is to be lauded currently no vaccine is available for Bluetongue serotype 8, the strain in circulation in England and Northern Europe.
'Although one is under development, it is not expected to be available until the summer at the soonest. In addition the Government has no intention of subsidising farmers, who will have to purchase the vaccine should they wish to inoculate their livestock.
'We need to act now to arrest the steady westward progress of the disease before it affects the West Country.'
Further Information
Following careful assessment of tenders for Bluetongue vaccine, Defra ordered to 22.5m doses Intervet on 19 December.
The EU has been calling for vaccination against Bluetongue since 2000 when it began to spread in the Mediterranean.
The NFU has called on the Government to ban imports of livestock from the bluetongue areas of Northern Europe following the discovery of the disease in a consignment of 20 cattle imported from the Netherlands at the end of last year.
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