Bluetongue vaccinations will be permitted in 2026
Blue tongue vaccines will be permitted in 2026. Picture: Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belgs Msg/AFP
It was announced today that bluetongue vaccination will be permitted in cattle and sheep in Ireland in 2026.
This follows the recent detection of four outbreaks of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV3) in Northern Ireland.
There are three BTV3 vaccines approved for use in the EU, and widely used in BTV3-affected countries.
In order to obtain and use BTV3 vaccines, a license is required from the Department. Details of how to apply for a license to obtain and use BTV3 vaccines will be published on the Department’s website over the coming days.
Minister Heydon said: “My objective has always been clear: to detect any incursion of BTV3 as early as possible, to respond as effectively as possible, and to reduce any disease impact on Irish cattle and sheep, and thus the consequences for Irish farmers, as far as possible.
We now know that BTV3 is present on the island, following the four outbreaks detected in Co. Down, Northern Ireland. This changes the risk picture and, unfortunately, makes it much more likely that the disease will spread during the high-risk season in summer 2026. For that reason, I have made the decision to permit the use of vaccination against BTV3 in Irish livestock.”
BTV3 is a virus which can be spread to cattle, sheep and other ruminants by midges, transplacental infection of pregnant animals, or via germinal products such as semen.
The virus can only replicate in midges when the average daily temperatures exceed 12ºC. Virus replication is faster at hotter temperatures, and midge activity is also more intense at such times, which is why the summer months are the high-risk period.
Speaking about how vaccination can be a useful tool to protect cattle and sheep from BTV3, Minister Heydon said: “The main way this virus spreads is via midges, and we know that right now, it is too cold for this to happen in Ireland.
The high-risk period will be summer 2026, and farmers can consider whether to use BTV3 vaccines in spring 2026 to protect their stock in advance of any midge-borne virus spread in the warmer months. I advise cattle and sheep farmers who are interested in BTV3 vaccination to discuss the option with their veterinary practitioner.”
