New bluetongue vaccine gives hope for UK farmers

The Dutch authorities have approved the use of a new vaccine against bluetongue serotype 3, developed by Spanish company Syva, giving fresh hope to farmers in the UK that it could soon be available here too.

On Friday 26 April, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture announced that Syva Laboratories’ BTV3 vaccine has been authorised for emergency use in cattle and sheep in the Netherlands.

The vaccine will be available for Dutch farmers to use from the beginning of May. Farming minister Piet Adema said it will arrive in time “to dampen and hopefully prevent the expected upsurge of bluetongue this summer”.

See also: Q&A – all you need to know about bluetongue disease

Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association (NSA), told Farmers Weekly the vaccine approval in the Netherlands was “great news”, adding that his organisation would be encouraging the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to contact Syva to explore the possibility for its use in the UK.

“We were being told that there would be no hope of any BTV-3 vaccine available in the UK until 2025.

“But we are now hearing that it could be sooner, and with this vaccine now coming through from Syva, it increases the chance of it coming here sooner, which is great news,” said Mr Stocker.

“The use of this vaccine in the Netherlands and in Belgium will dampen down and reduce any risk of the virus spreading across the Channel.

“We hope there will be a really good take-up [of the vaccine] in these countries.”

NFU Livestock Board chairman David Barton agreed it is “really positive news” that a bluetongue vaccine has been approved for Dutch farmers.

He said the NFU would be working with Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency to have the vaccine approved for use in the UK – but questions remain unanswered.

“Until we know how much vaccine is available and how much we can get, we can’t start working on a plan on where to deliver it,” he added. “We don’t know how much the doses cost, but we know sheep will need one dose and cattle two.”

Million doses ready

Syva has indicated that one million doses of vaccine are ready, which can reach the market in the Netherlands within a few days to a week.

Another batch of one million doses will follow two weeks later.

The vaccine has been developed thanks to modelling by researchers from Wageningen University and collaboration with government veterinary medicines agencies in the Netherlands.

Bluetongue is spread by biting midges and it has brought devastation to hundreds of farms in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in recent months.

In the worst outbreaks, Dutch farmers have lost up to 40% of their sheep flocks. Huge yield impacts on dairy cows and fertility have also been reported.

UK latest situation

Dozens of cases have also been reported in southern and eastern England. Up to 29 April, Defra said there have been 126 bluetongue cases confirmed in England across 73 premises in four counties (Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey).

The most recent case was confirmed on 1 March 2024.

Defra’s ongoing vector surveillance programme indicates that biting midges are active and feeding again in many areas due to the warmer spring weather.

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease. Farmers and animal keepers should keep a close watch for signs of bluetongue and report any suspicion immediately on 03000 200 301 in England, 03003 038 268 in Wales, or the local Field Services Office in Scotland.  

Farmers Weekly has requested a comment from Defra.