Loss of bluetongue-free status would hit livestock trade

In dairy cows, one of the key symptoms of bluetongue is a sudden drop in milk yield, while swelling of lips and tongue — particularly in sheep — are other obvious signs

Sheep are the species most commonly associated with bluetongue and tend to be the hardest hit, but cattle can also be significantly affected.

The latest threat to livestock farms may be blowing in on the wind.

“The most likely way it actually got into the country is probably by a midge being blown across from the UK,” said veterinary surgeon Dr John Donlon during a recent Teagasc podcast discussion on bluetongue.