Farmers urged to use bluetongue vaccination tool

Farmers are being urged to consider vaccinating their livestock against bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3), and to help with decision-making, a new vaccination finance calculator has been deployed.

As part of the Battle Bluetongue campaign, which is run by the AHDB together with Ruminant Health & Welfare, two BTV-3 vaccination finance calculators (one for sheep and one for beef) have been developed to help farmers understand their return on investment from vaccinating their livestock.

See also: Bluetongue vaccines approved in Wales

There is no treatment for the disease, and BTV-3 has seen 242 cases in the 2024-25 vector season in Great Britain.

The virus continues to pose a significant threat to cattle, sheep, goats and camelids, with potential impacts on animal health, productivity, and trade.

At present, vaccination is only licensed for use in England and Wales.

Farmers in the ruminant industry are therefore being urged to consider how to help slow disease spread.

Mandy Nevel, AHDB head of animal health and welfare, explains why the calculator has been developed.

“As there is no treatment for this disease, which continues to play havoc with trade and animal movements, vaccination and restricted movements in affected areas remain our best defence,” said Dr Nevel.

The calculator, which is free to use and currently available for sheep only, adds to the armoury of resources available for vets and farmers to use in the Battle Bluetongue vaccination campaign.

It is hoped that the tool will help farmers or vets calculate the cost of vaccination for sheep and beef cattle – and enable them to make the best decision for their farm.

“A bespoke dairy calculator will also be released as soon as possible.

“We are working hard behind the scenes to make this as robust a tool as possible for all the diverse dairy farming systems we have in the UK,” added Dr Nevel.

As part of the campaign, farmers are also encouraged to assess the risk on their farm by speaking to their vet, managing all identified risks that can be controlled on livestock holdings and vaccinate the right animals for BTV-3 to reduce transmission and stop the spread.

A webinar to explain the benefits is being held on Wednesday 26 March from 5pm and those interested can book their place on the AHDB website.