Livestock farmers urged to be vigilant for new virus

THE EU has been struck by another new insect-borne livestock virus.

So far, 86 farms have been hit in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands by the Schmallenberg virus — named after an area in Germany where it first infected cattle in November.

It is likely that infections occurred in the summer and autumn of last year, resulting in the first cases appearing before Christmas of lambs with congenital malformations such as hydrancephaly and scoliosis, mostly stillborn.