Farmers warned over bluetongue disease

FARMERS were urged not to import animals from any country or region affected by the bluetongue disease.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith issued the appeal after Britain confirmed a new strain of the virus was found in five imported animals near Blackpool, Lancashire. He said imports from restricted zones continued to represent a real risk to the entire Irish livestock sector.

“For this reason, I strongly urge farmers here not to import animals from any bluetongue affected country or region so as not to jeopardise our disease free status with its consequences for our entire livestock sector,” he said.

The animals found in Britain with the disease type known as BTV1 came from an area of south-west France where the movement of livestock is controlled because of bluetongue.

Tests carried out by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in England detected the condition in tests carried out after the animals were imported. There are already 148 premises across England and Wales which have been affected by another type of bluetongue, BTV8.

Mr Smith said there are EU controls on animals moving from bluetongue restricted zones to clear areas. But the existence of several strains of bluetongue increased the risks and raised serious concerns about the wisdom of importing any animals from affected regions at this time.

Meanwhile, a probe was begun yesterday after up to 30 cattle were found dead on a Limerick farm.

Veterinary experts are trying to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.