Farmers warned over first known Scots disease case

News Reporter

Thursday 18 October 2012

SCOTTISH farmers have been urged to be vigilant after the first known case of a harmful animal disease that has swept through Europe was detected north of the Border.

ALERT: Farmers are asked to keep tabs on stock for the virus.

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Helen McArdle

A ram imported from Shropshire to a farm in the north of Scotland has tested positive for the Schmallenberg (SBV) virus.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) Scotland has issued an alert to livestock keepers to be vigilant for the disease, which is spread from animal to animal by infected midges and can lead to miscarriages and birth defects.

NFU Scotland said it expected the cold weather to help contain further spread of the disease and it did not expect the virus to become established in the area.However, the Scottish Rural College (SRUC) will carry out tests on animals which have come into contact with the ram.The development comes just over a week since Scots farmers were put on alert after the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reported the first positive SBV samples on farms in North Yorkshire and Northumberland.Scots livestock producers importing animals from SBV-risk areas elsewhere in the UK were urged to submit the animals to a voluntary screening regime set up by the NFUS, the Scottish Government and SRUC. The virus, named after the German town of Schmallenberg where it was first discovered in August last year, affects cattle, sheep and goats.Animals generally recover, but if females are early in pregnancy it can lead to still-births, abortions and catastrophic malformations in offspring. It also causes fever, diarrhoea and loss of milk production in adult cattle.SBV is virtually endemic across western Europe and has been spreading through England and Wales since January.Nigel Miller, NFUS president and a Borders livestock farmer, said: "The weather has been cold recently, which inhibits insect vectors, such as midges, and it is therefore likely any potential spread will be blocked. The owner is to be commended for conducting the test and the event underlines the need for all livestock farmers importing stock from SBV-risk areas to test animals for the disease."There is no structured 'sentinel' surveillance in northern England or Scotland and it is therefore possible the disease is already circulating in the south of Scotland."As midges and other vectors are likely to be active for at least another three weeks, we are advising our members to speak to their vet if they are concerned about their livestock."Schmallenberg is a relatively new disease and we are not yet familiar with all its attributes. However, modelling suggests the disease could become established in Scotland, south of the Clyde and Forth valleys.It comes just a day after The Herald revealed scientists at the Medical Research Council's Centre for Viral Research at Glasgow University are poised to develop the first vaccine against the disease.Mr Miller said: "It may be available next year, when it would be most useful in Scotland. Luckily, it appears livestock develop immunity to Schmallenberg relatively quickly." Brian Hosie, group manager of SAC Consulting Veterinary Services, a division of SRUC, said: "This shows the value of post-movement testing and farmers should take advantage of the NFUS-supported scheme."

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Farmers warned over first known Scots disease case

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